Jean-Paul Sartre

Existentialism

Modern influential 147 sayings

Sayings by Jean-Paul Sartre

Commitment is an act, not a word.

Unknown — Often attributed, consistent with his philosophy of action and responsibility.
Humorous Unverifiable

We were never so free as under the German occupation.

1944 — Situations, I: The Republic of Silence
Humorous Unverifiable

The world is absurd.

1938 — Nausea
Humorous Unverifiable

You are—your life, and nothing else.

1946 — Existentialism Is a Humanism
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Every word has a consequence. Every silence, too.

Unknown — From an interview or essay, reflecting his views on responsibility.
Humorous Unverifiable

Man is a being who is not what he is, and is what he is not.

1943 — Being and Nothingness
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The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.

Unknown — From a collection of thoughts or letters.
Humorous Unverifiable

What is life but a series of inspired follies?

Unknown — Often attributed to him, reflecting a certain irreverence towards life's predetermined paths.
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I am a man of the word. I believe in the power of words.

1964 — The Words
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One always dies too soon or too late. And yet existence is there, it's your measure.

1944 — No Exit (Huis Clos)
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The greatest joy of all is to be free.

Unknown — Often attributed, central to his philosophy of freedom.
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It is only in our decisions that we are free.

1943 — Being and Nothingness
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The first principle of existentialism is that man is nothing else but what he makes of himself.

1946 — Existentialism Is a Humanism
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I regret nothing. I have done what I have done.

Unknown — Attributed, but consistent with his philosophy of radical freedom and responsibility.
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The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.

Unknown — Often attributed, but more accurately a paraphrase of Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'. Sa…
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The world is full of things that have no explanation.

1938 — Nausea
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Man is a useless passion, but he is a passion for nothing.

1943 — Being and Nothingness
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If you want to be a philosopher, write a book.

Unknown — From a letter or conversation, emphasizing the act of creation in philosophy.
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The greatest effort is not to make oneself understood, but to understand.

Unknown — Often attributed, but hard to pinpoint an exact source in his major works.
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Man is a bridge, not a goal.

Unknown — Often attributed, but this phrasing is more common in Nietzsche. Sartre's work emphasizes process an…
Humorous Unverifiable