Summary
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss existentialism. Imagine being back inside the bustling cafes on the Left Bank of Paris in the 1930s, cigarette smoke, strong coffee and the buzz of continental voices philosophising about human responsibility and freedom. This kind of talk gave utterance to Existentialism. A twentieth century philosophy of everyday life concerned with the individual, and his or her place within the world. In novels, plays and philosophy, Existentialists try to work out the nature of our existence. As Roquentin says in Sartre’s novel ‘Nausea’, “To exist is simply to be there; what exists appears, lets itself be encountered, but you can never deduce it”.But where did these ideas come from? What do they really mean? And how have they impacted on our lives? With Dr A. C. Grayling, Reader in Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London; Christina Howells, Professor of French at the University of Oxford, fellow of Wadham College; Simon Critchley, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Essex and author of A Companion to Continental Philosophy.
Transcript
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| 0:47.1 | Hello imagine being inside the claffy floor on the left bank of Paris in the |
| 0:51.9 | 19th century's sart Paris in the 1930s. |
| 0:52.8 | Sartre in the corner, Simone de Beauvoir on the way, |
| 0:55.8 | Camus strolling up the boulevard Saint-Germain. |
| 0:58.0 | Cigarette spoke strong coffee, the guttrel of Gaelic voices philosophising |
| 1:01.8 | about human responsibility and freedom. |
| 1:04.0 | Man is condemned to be free, says such. |
| 1:07.0 | Discuss. |
| 1:08.0 | The serious talk we imagine would be of existentialism, a 20th century philosophy concerned with the individual and his or her place within the world. |
| 1:16.0 | In novels, plays and philosophy, existentialists try to work at the nature of our existence. |
| 1:20.0 | As Rock Anton says in Sart's novel Nausea, |
| 1:23.0 | to exist is simply to be there. |
| 1:25.0 | What exists appears, let's itself be encountered, |
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