EXISTENTIALISM in book The Ethics of Ambiguity

 EXISTENTIALISM in book The Ethics of Ambiguity

Introduction

In his book The Ethics of Ambiguity, Beauvoir outlines the ethics that were adopted by the existentialists, for example, Jean-Pal Sartre. The central existentialist premise that Beauvoir’s work first covers is that essence is preceded by existence.  The basic implication of this notion is that as human beings, we establish our nature of essence through our actions as well as choices. During her discussion regarding human essence, Beauvoir refers to the general notion and the assertion of Heidegger in relation to time and being. In this regard, she notes that the creation of ourselves presently is based on our actions in the past besides the choices made during the projection of the future.

The Sartre’s distinction in nothingness and being is the foundation of the approach that Beauvoir adopts to expound on the issues of ethics and choices. Nonetheless, she uses her own twist that includes in-itself and for-itself. Within the category of in-itself, Beauvoir focuses on material things, for example, tables, chairs, and rocks. These things are known for their predetermined and inherent essence. On the other hand, the for-itself category is made up of existents or beings that are conscious.  These beings have no predetermined or inherent essence and have continued to recreate themselves using actions and choices. Sartre and Beauvoir agree that the aspects of inherent and pre-determination can be found in human beings. However, Beauvoir argues that the ambiguity that characterizes the existence of humans results from the tension existing between the two aspects. This paper aims at explaining and evaluating the claim made by Beauvoir that “To will oneself moral and to will oneself free are one and the same decision.”

The claim made by Beauvoir implies that as human beings, our actions are ethical only if we admit the weight of the choices we make, effects, and implications of our ontological, fundamental freedom. One of the key tenets adopted by existentialism is that entire values emanate from human freedom, implying that the ethics followed by existentialists need to be grounded on freedom. Even though people are not totally under the control of existentialism, Beauvoir depicts that moral individuals take a specific stand regarding their freedom. Moral or genuine freedom that Beauvoir expounds about can be achieved by a person if he or she wills to be free by affirming his or her own freedom rather than denying it or running from it.

The two different categories of freedom that Beauvoir postulates through her claim, “To will oneself moral and to will oneself free are one and the same decision” are natural and moral freedom. The moral view by Immanuel Kant was a major influence on the philosophy that Beauvoir adopted regarding freedom. According to Kant, one of the positive concepts of freedom is that it is fruitful and much richer. In addition, Kant argued that freedom has a positive concept that determines morality, and that is why free will, as well as will as defined by moral laws, are similar. The implications of free will that Beauvoir wants to put forward led to the idea of ambiguity.

Based on the theme of ethics of ambiguity that was developed by many philosophers, including Pyrrhus et Cineas, Beauvoir continued to base her arguments on the eventuality of existence (Holveck, 1999). She believed that there is an ultimate need for people to exist, thus implying that there lacks the essence of standard value apart from the predetermined human.  A major expansion related to freedom, according to Beauvoir, is that for the freedom of other people to be actualized, the freedom of a person is required. Even though Beauvoir was not entirely satisfied with the concept of ethics of freedom, it still remained a valued testament related to her major concern of oppression, responsibility, and freedom.

Beauvoir initiates her work by portraying the tragic situations and conditions faced by humans that experience freedom as the primary drive that is impacted by the world’s external weight. According to her, the existence of human is a mixture of internal freedom that is focused on transcending the conditions of the world which are imposed by the world on us. In reference to upholding the sanctity of people by existentialist, Beauvoir emphasizes that a person is normally under the control of the community, thus making separate existents to be important in binding each other. According to her, all enterprises are expressed in a populated world, thus making all human beings to be affected. Her defense of this position is based on her refocus on a notion that related to ethics by Pyrrhus et Cineas, which noted that projects established by individuals fall within themselves in case there are no other projects that can intersect.

To portray the extent to which situated freedom is complex, Beauvoir provided an aspect of growth besides the development in the ethics of ambiguity. While many philosophers initiate their deliberations using a fully-grown human being, Beauvoir base her discussions on a childhood where she notes that freedom or the will is developed as an individual grows. This means that children are not treated as moral because they are not connected to the future or past, and their actions can be well-understood as time continues. Additionally, the condition of a child exposes us to a sign referred to as an attitude of seriousness by Beauvoir. This attitude indicates that values are not chosen, but they are given.

The idea of ambiguity can be used to evaluate the claim of will and freedom, as emphasized upon by Beauvoir. One should not confuse absurdity with this idea. When existence is declared as absurd, it implies that it cannot have any meaning, while when it is seen as ambiguous, it means that the meaning is not fixed, and it constantly won (Simone de Beauvoir, 1949). One of the aspects of absurdity is that it gives a challenge to ethics even though the rationalization of the real does not provide an opportunity to ethics since the conditions of people are ambiguous, and they seek through outrageousness and failure to save their own existence. Thus, an argument that actions are to be lived in their truth, meaning, in the consciousness of the antinomies, does not imply that one is required to renounce them. Science and art do not depict themselves even though they face some failures which do not prevent errors and truths.

The dual nature is also an aspect that makes people to experience ambiguity. According to Beauvoir, the dual nature is made up of thought and body matter or which can be referred to as consciousness and body. She noted that human consciousness depends on the materials or bodily aspects of being, even though it is not identical to it. Part of human facticity is the body, and a human being can transcend his or her material origin within his or her thought, but they are not able to escape from it. It is worth noting that moral obligation and freedom are achieved due to the ability of individuals to transcend their physical limitations. Nonetheless, just like most of the feminist philosophers, Beauvoir identifies a problem that is related to the tendency of the philosophical tradition adopted by the West when prioritizing one side of dualism, for example, individualism over the collectiveness, self over other or spirit over mater.

Beauvoir notices that such a tendency is as primordial, just like the consciousness. When the ambiguities of individuals are examined and evaluated, it becomes clear that even though the perception of humans is focused on dualism, there is no need to prioritize one aspect over the other. Such criticism is used by Beauvoir to base her feminist theory and her perceptions regarding ethics. The motivation to oppress other people forms a part of treating others as though they are only material things, instead of seeing them as thinking and free human beings (Simone de Beauvoir, 1949). According to Beauvoir, women have, for a long time, been treated as others. This makes to emphasize in The Ethics of Ambiguity that people should recognize the dual aspect of the human situation not only at the individual level but also the way others are perceived. This notion forms a significant vantage for Beauvoir’s insight regarding freedom as the major base of moral obligation.

Conclusion

Behavior asserts that the will oneself moral and his or her freedom are identical.  Even though man is free, the law is also found within the same freedom. The first thing that man should do is assuming his freedom and not just fleeing it through a constructive movement since one is not able to exist without being involved in another thing. The principle of freedom that is covered by Behavior draws a fundamental premise that can be used to explain the ethical theories adopted by contemporary philosophers. The moral obligations that are required from an individual emanate from human freedom.  Since as individuals we are free, it is vital to entirely realize that freedom not by running from it, but by accepting the burdens that come with it. Behavior emphasized that it is essential to ensure the freedom of others to preserve our own freedom.

References

Holveck, E. (1999). The Blood of Others: A Novel Approach to The Ethics of Ambiguity. Hypatia. 14 (4): 3–17.

Simone de Beauvoir. (1949). The Ethics of Ambiguity, Part 3 The Antinomies of Action. Webster University Philosophy Department.

Simone de Beauvoir. (1949). The Ethics of Ambiguity, Part 5 Ambiguity. Webster University Philosophy Department.