Sartre and the Destruction of Human Existence: The Collapse of a Civilization Built by Humans Without Essence – Chapter 84

Soyo Existence Ethics - “Existence Itself Is Ethics”

The Human Eye as a Camera Lens – The First Recognition of Existence

The human eye functions like a camera lens: it captures the world and reflects it into the self exactly as it was perceived. Sartre considered this moment to be the core of human existence. In other words, human beings construct their existence based on what they see, how they interpret, and how they feel, and within that constructed world, they create meaning.

For Sartre, existence is a constant “radiation,” a ceaseless outward projection formed by one’s own free choices and interpretations. But it is precisely at this point that the deepest shadow and structural flaw of existentialism emerges.

Sartre’s Ethics Is Merely Morality Repeated – The Illusion of a Groundless Ethics

Sartre claimed:

“An authentic human life is an ethical life, and an ethical life is one in which a free subject takes responsibility for one’s actions.”

At first glance, this appears logical and firm. Yet philosophically, it remains the language of morality, not ethics. It resembles Aristotle’s virtues of moderation, patience, temperance, and responsibility rather than an account of ethics that arises from the ground of existence itself.

Sartre does not explain why humans must be responsible, why humans ought to be ethical, or where ethics originates. Why? Because he eliminated the very ground of ethics. He declares, “Essence does not precede existence.” This inevitably leads to the conclusion:

“Therefore, human beings have no pre-given nature, no purpose, and no origin.”

Then the unavoidable questions follow:

• How can a being with no essence possess ethics?

• How can a groundless being bear responsibility?

• If a human being is self-generated, to whom, or to what, can this human being be ethical?

Sartre cannot answer these questions. His ethics is groundless, and a groundless ethics collapses into a repetition of morality.

The Contradiction of “Be Strictly Honest with Yourself” – Where Does Freedom Originate?

Sartre urges: “Be strictly honest with yourself.” This sounds noble and powerful. But philosophically, it is hollow because he cannot define what “self” is.

• If there is no essence, then the identity of the “self” is unclear.

• If there is no origin, the criterion of “honesty” disappears.

• If freedom is absolute, responsibility becomes meaningless.

Thus, Soyo poses these decisive questions:

• Is the origin of freedom something humans created by themselves?

• If humans created their own freedom, how can that freedom demand responsibility or ethics?

• If there is no essence, how can ethics even be discussed?

Sartrean existentialism exalts freedom while losing its source, and speaks of ethics while repudiating its foundation. This is the most fundamental contradiction of existentialism.

The Collapse of a Godless Ontology – The Complete Severance between Existence and Ethics

Sartre entirely excludes God. According to his claim:

“Since there is no God who can understand essence, human beings have no essence.”

Within philosophy, this must be interpreted as follows:

• Humans are accidental beings

• Beings without purpose

• Beings without origin

• Makers of their own meaning

• Makers of their own responsibility

• Makers of their own ethics

But such ethics cannot stand upon existence; it becomes mere preference or personal taste.

Ultimately, the theory leads to the following conclusion:

“Because humans create their own meaning, they are free to live however they wish.”

Soyo reveals the essence of this conclusion:

“This is the destruction of human existence itself and the beginning of civilization’s ethical collapse.”

For if there is no essence, then human dignity disappears. Without dignity, ethics disappear. Without ethics, civilization disintegrates. The rise of individualism, competition, desire, class structures, and the worship of power throughout the 20th century stems in part from the popularization of Sartrean logic.

Ethics Without Existence, Existence Without Ethics – The Final Contradiction of Existentialism

Sartre speaks of an ethical life, yet his ethics has no existential foundation. He speaks of freedom, yet that freedom has no origin or purpose. He speaks of responsibility, yet offers no grounding for responsibility. All these contradictions culminate in one conclusion:

“Existentialism did not liberate humanity; it isolated humanity in a freedom without origin.”

Thus, Soyo finally asks:

“Does this philosophy deserve to be taught in universities or preserved in the canon of philosophical texts?”

This is not provocation. It is the essential question that brings philosophy back to existence.

Where There Is No Existence, Ethics Cannot Be Born - Declaration of Soyo Existence Ethics

• Ethics arises from existence.

• Existence arises from origin.

• Origin is born from the breath of God.

• Therefore, freedom, responsibility, and conscience are not created by humans but given to humans.

Sartre’s existentialism severed this origin, then attempted to construct ethics atop that severed ground. But human ethics is not created from morality or willpower—it begins from the depth of existence, the trembling of conscience, and under the breath of God.

Thus, Soyo Existence Ethics declares:

“If existence is lost, ethics collapses. If ethics collapses, humanity is destroyed.”

This is why 21st-century philosophy must return once again to existence beyond Sartre's critique.

Soyo (逍遙) – Founder of Soyo Existence Ethics. Author of The Silence of Existence, The Flame of Truth

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