Freedom and the Free Human in the Views of Sartre and Camus

Abstract

The relationship between humanity and the concept of freedom dates back to the earliest forms of collective human life. The question of what freedom is and who the free human is has always been a subject of philosophical debate. Both Sartre and Camus have provided thought-provoking insights on the nature of freedom and the free human. Sartre believes that humans are condemned to be free, and that any person who denies their freedom is in bad faith. Thus, humans are beings endowed with absolute freedom, which simultaneously entails responsibility toward others. In contrast, Camus argues that humans possess relative freedom and must continually rise up to defend freedom, as they are responsible to the human community.