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original-choice
The foundational act of freedom where one chooses oneself in totality, which is identical to consciousness itself.
1 chapter across 1 book
Being and Nothingness (1943)Jean-Paul Sartre
chapter devoted to transcendence, that the in-itself was not capable on its own of
This chapter explores the fundamental nature of human freedom as an original, non-deliberate choice of oneself that simultaneously constitutes consciousness and the meaning of the world. Sartre argues that consciousness is inherently an act of selection and nihilation, where the self projects itself beyond the given 'in-itself' world, shaping both personal identity and the world’s significance. The chapter also addresses the experience of anguish and responsibility as expressions of this freedom, emphasizing that all particular actions are rooted in and inseparable from this foundational choice of self.