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9th out of 32 books
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10 voters
The Ethics of Ambiguity
Simone de Beauvoir, novelist, dramatist, and philosopher, was the most distinguished woman writer in modern France. A leading exponent of French existentialism, her work complements, though it is independent of, that of Jean-Paul Sartre. In "The Ethics of Ambiguity," Madame de Beauvoir penetrates at once to the central ethical problems of modern man: what shall he do, how...more
Paperback, 162 pages
Published
June 1st 2000
by Citadel
(first published January 1st 1944)
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An experiment should be performed. Take someone living a shitty normal life somewhere. Speculate on how much normal life is like war; marginal explosions and maimings once a decade during a 99% anxiety induced sleep in the time of motivated wishes and whitewashes. Boredom, lack of ethics conundrums, specious choices as obvious as unmade beds, television for twenty years condensed into ten- take this person and see if things go any better in an artificially uncontrolled crisis environment where e...more
I liked this book, but I am not sure I will remember it in a few weeks. I don't read a lot of philosophy, and I probably picked up this book because it was cheap at Half-Priced Books and because I like SdB and Sartre, and their separate discussion about freedom. However, I have not read Being and Nothingness, which I should read and then reread this book to know what the exact critique is. Still, I found it useful in "diagnosing" different people's types of covering up their knowledge that they...more
Perhaps the best effort to derive systematic ethics out of existentialism. Beauvoir largely succeeds in claiming that a self-consistent ethical system can be found within existentialism, and her answer is a system of ethics founded upon "freedom." But this is not so much answering the difficult question, as merely translating it to another difficult question -- that of clearly defining the notion of "freedom." On this point, her success is somewhat questionable. Her initial approach is largely n...more
A good book, with the usual caveats massive and small that come with any book on existentialism and Marxism. She brings up some good points in critiquing other systems of morality, throughout the book, but especially at the start.
As with all moralists though her bite is worst than her bark. The ethical conclusions she comes to are not all that powerful or lasting. Further followed by the fact that it relies on a historical and political context that has long since passed its relevance. That isn...more
As with all moralists though her bite is worst than her bark. The ethical conclusions she comes to are not all that powerful or lasting. Further followed by the fact that it relies on a historical and political context that has long since passed its relevance. That isn...more
It surprised me that I enjoyed this book so much, because normally I can't stand studying ethics. However Simone de Beauvoir made some very strong, valid points in this piece. Having lived through both the world wars and being very involved, along with Sartre, in the French political scene she was able to gain tremendous insight into the ethical dilemmas that come around with any human action on a large scale. The section titled 'The Antimonies of Action' was particularly interesting as she diss...more
"Existentialism does not offer to the reader the consolation of an abstract evasion; existentialism proposes no evasion." SdB
As a nascent reader of philosophy I was fatigued by the on-again-off-again lucidity of her discourse, but not enough to quit. The accessibility and meaning of her prose oscillated; for me comprehension ebbed and flowed from page to page. However, the steadfast reader endures, trusting that at some point her heady prose will make sense and then BAM! they do, the proverbial...more
As a nascent reader of philosophy I was fatigued by the on-again-off-again lucidity of her discourse, but not enough to quit. The accessibility and meaning of her prose oscillated; for me comprehension ebbed and flowed from page to page. However, the steadfast reader endures, trusting that at some point her heady prose will make sense and then BAM! they do, the proverbial...more
How else can one begin to into a book like this then start from the first quote in the book; "prima, quae vitam dedit, ora corpsit. The continuous work of our life is to build death," from Montaigne.
The prospects for me finishing the book looked dim from the view of the first chapter. It sounded like a bad defensive essay for her boyfriend's ideas. However, the second chapter got much better as she started introducing her own worthwhile ideas on existence and freedom. Her arguments, if you can call them that, were too abstract to be concrete, especially in dealing with ethics. Nonetheless, she made some good sense. She seemed very distracted by Nazism (very understandable) and used in it ma...more
De Beauvoir largely succeeds here in refuting the ridiculous claims that people used when trying to argue against the existentialists. Her prose is fairly straight forward (at least compared to Sartre's) and her arguments are very well crafted. You really get a sense in this work of how existential thought arose as a response to the butchery of the second world war. She puts a more human face on her ideas than Sartre. Her concept of ambiguity in the book's conclusion deftly predicts much of the...more
Aug 20, 2008
Draco3seven Crawdady
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Bourgeois or peti-bourgeois readers as far as background and serious studiers of philosophy
““If God does not exist, everything is permitted.” Today’s believers use this formula for their own advantage. To re-establish man at the heart of his destiny is, they claim, to repudiate all ethics. However, far from God’s absence authorizing all license, the contrary is the case, because man is abandoned on the earth, because his acts are definitive, absolute engagements. He bears the responsibility for a world which is not the work of a strange power, but of himself, where his defeats are ins...more
Beauvoire writes so well, in a clear literary style that this short but full to the brim book was happily consumed quickly. At some points, i considered taking her prose and breaking it up into verse. In any case, the concluding question, "Is [Existentialist] kind of ethics individualistic or not?". She answers yes and then demonstrates that just as man fashions himself in fashioning man, he must assume his freedom, and in so doing he does not flee it but constructs a relation with the world and...more
Amazing Beavouir. Her language is a total indulgence (even after being translated in English). The notions in the book have well standings and can never cease to but impressively explain the lives of people in the 21 century. The second sex was great as in an elaboration of a vast amount of history facts and cultural opinions. This one is more free-flow and speaks the mind of Beavouir in a better sense. Totally fall for her wits. Such an amazing woman with great insights.
Good tips on how to not accidentally become a fascist, and other stuff. I'm not at all well-read in philosophy, but this relatively short text seemed to me to be an excellent introduction to existentialism. The whole idea around "ambiguity" (as I understand it) is that life isn't going to plop down a nicely wrapped package of Meaning into your lap - you have to create meaning in every moment. This contrasts with the idea of "absurdity" (see Camus), which suggests that not only can meaning not be...more
Nov 21, 2008
Craig
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone interested in philosophy
Recommended to Craig by:
Prof. Russon, also the best teacher in the world
This is one of my favorite books, and definitely my favorite philosophy book. It is by far one of the best books on existentialism. As you can tell from looking at the length of the book, she is very concise in her writing. This is a good thing as you don't have to put up with the fluff that some philosophers seem to enjoy so much. Don't be fooled by the length - this is not an easy read. I've read it 3 times and constantly want to go back for more because I get something new each time. For thos...more
I love this woman. Her particular understanding of modern femininity, the world of the second world war, existentialism, fascism, humor, and the obscurity of our common anxieties.
fascinating exploration of the ethics of existentialism. simone de beauvoir examines sartre's philosophies and develops the possibility for ethics in a subjective worldview.
I enjoyed the time reading this book. Not much to say but if you like Existentialism, you will enjoy her thoughts and views on the subject.
Normally, I would say ethics are bullshit. Simone's EOA is an exception. Did I mention it's exceptional? Short, accessible, and applicable.
A revelation. Except for the troublingly-not-infrequent parts that reminded me of Ayn Rand. Which were creepy and disorienting.
I remember it as one of few writings by existensialists that has anything noteworthy to say.
Woohoo verification of the possibility of humanism in existentialist thought!
Sep 14, 2009
Albie
added it
The Ethics of Ambiguity by Simone de Beauvoir (2000)
Read this long ago in college. Just now adding it.
plus que roman de nana // far more than just chick-lit
my prediction was partly true.
PAT! I almost highlighted and wrote all over your book.
"there is hardly a virtue in resignation."
"If the work becomes an idol whereby the artist thinks that he is fulfilling himself as being, he is closing himself in the universe of the serious"
"Only the freedom of others keeps each one of us from hardening in the absurdity of facticity."
this book is exciting. her face on the cover tells a lot about her i think. i am inspired by this to read a book on critical th...more
PAT! I almost highlighted and wrote all over your book.
"there is hardly a virtue in resignation."
"If the work becomes an idol whereby the artist thinks that he is fulfilling himself as being, he is closing himself in the universe of the serious"
"Only the freedom of others keeps each one of us from hardening in the absurdity of facticity."
this book is exciting. her face on the cover tells a lot about her i think. i am inspired by this to read a book on critical th...more
Even if this book were badly written (which it isn't) the conclusion alone would have been it's saving grace.
A truly hegelian philosophy
Awesome, two times through.
This is a good companion to Sartre's ‘Being and Nothingness’ as it simplifies and abbreviates B & N while using it as a reference throughout. There is much use of philosophical terminology that can stump you if you weren't a philosophy major. Overall it sheds some light on the morals of man, the reasoning behind war / war crimes and the true definition of freedom. Although written several decades ago, the references and comparisons have eerie similarities to our current political times.
A superb work that appropriates the works of Sartre and the Aristotelian concept of potentiality, via Hegel. It challenges traditional notions of ethics, demonstrating that much is relative or ambiguous.
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"Simone de Beauvoir was a French author and philosopher. She wrote novels, monographs on philosophy, politics, and social issues, essays, biographies, and an autobiography. She is now best known for her metaphysical novels, including She Came to Stay and The Mandarins, and for her 1949 treatise The Second Sex, a detailed analysis of women's oppression and a foundational tract of contemporary femin...more
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“Regardless of the staggering dimensions of the world about us, the density of our ignorance, the risks of catastrophes to come, and our individual weakness within the immense collectivity, the fact remains that we are absolutely free today if we choose to will our existence in its finiteness, a finiteness which is open on the infinite. And in fact, any man who has known real loves, real revolts, real desires, and real will knows quite well that he has no need of any outside guarantee to be sure of his goals; their certitude comes from his own drive.”
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“Today, however, we are having a hard time living because we are so bent on outwitting death.”
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07. September, 15:19 Uhr