Jean-Paul Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher and writer who lived from 1905 to 1980. Throughout his life, he struggled with depression, and in his later years, he contemplated suicide. Sartre’s philosophical work explored the meaning of existence and the human condition, and he had much to say about suicide and suicidal ideation.
Sartre believed that life is fundamentally meaningless, and that individuals must create their own meaning through their actions and choices. He saw suicide as an attempt to escape the absurdity of life, and he argued that it was an irrational response to the human condition. For Sartre, the only authentic response to the absurdity of life was to embrace it and to create meaning through one’s actions.
Despite his philosophical convictions, Sartre’s personal struggles with depression and suicidal ideation led him to question his own beliefs. In his autobiography, “The Words,” he wrote about his experiences with depression and the way in which they challenged his belief in the importance of individual freedom and choice. He described feeling trapped and unable to escape his own thoughts, and he acknowledged that suicide had a certain allure for him.
Sartre also explored the concept of “bad faith,” which refers to the ways in which individuals deceive themselves about their own existence. He argued that many people live in bad faith, denying their own freedom and responsibility in order to avoid confronting the absurdity of their existence. This can lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness, which can in turn lead to suicidal ideation.
In his play “No Exit,” Sartre famously wrote, “Hell is other people.” This line has been interpreted in many ways, but one possible reading is that Sartre saw other people as a source of anxiety and conflict that can contribute to suicidal ideation. In other words, the way in which we relate to others can impact our mental health and well-being, and Sartre believed that we must be aware of this in order to avoid falling into despair.
Overall, Sartre’s view of suicidal ideation was complex and nuanced. While he believed that suicide was an irrational response to the human condition, he also acknowledged the allure of escape that it can provide. He saw depression and suicidal ideation as challenges to the existential project of creating meaning through our actions, and he believed that individuals must confront these challenges in order to live an authentic life.