T 5/4 Sartre 398-308

1. What does Sartre mean when he says that “existence precedes essence,” and how does he illustrate this claim by contrasting manufactured objects with human beings?

2. According to Sartre, why is an individual responsible for all people?

3. Sartre argues that ethical choice is not something that can be calculated using specific ethical principles. How does he illustrate this claim using the example of the student?

Tao Te Ching 1-40

1. What does Lao Tzu say about the paradoxical and mysterious nature of the Tao? What does this suggest about our ability to know anything about the Tao?

2. What are Lao Tzu’s criticisms of the goal of acquiring wealth, luxury, and power, and a life devoted to action and accomplishment?

3. How does Lao Tzu criticize the Confucian notions of benevolence, righteousness, and the acquisition of knowledge?