What sort of freedom does existentialism imply?

Question

From what i've been trying to understand about Sartre's beliefs, he implies that we aren't bound by genes. That we can't blame our actions at all on inherited genes or any sort of outside force influencing what we do. Is this correct? Is it some sort of non-theistic argument for individual Free will?

Does he attempt to argue against determinism in any way?

I don't expect all of these questions to be answered, someone who knows enough about the subject i'm sure will be able to help me understand.

Answer 1

the freedom implied is a freedom from determinism, or at least a god-given determinism.  the basic idea is that existence precedes essence, not the other way around as most philosophers prior to that time believed.  since you have no predetermined essence, soul, human nature, whatever you want to call it, you have the ultimate freedom to determine who or what you want to be.

the problem that sartre does not address and the postmodernists take up is that culture, rather than god or a soul, does shape essence prior to existence.

Answer 2

The freedom of absolute responsibility because you can't blame your actions on anyone/anything but yourself.

Answer 3

I find Sarte's ideas to be incredibly repressive in that it treats human beings as machines whose flaws are essentially their own fault. Of course we need to take responsibility for our own actions but the more we learn about human beings the more we learn that irrational actions are not the result of a lack of individual will but rather that, human beings are "predictably irrational".

There is a great book by this name by author Dan Ariely in which he explores how everyone will predictably make the same sort of mistakes and irrational assumptions over and over.

Real freedom comes when humans understand and study their failings and work to remedy them, not when we torture ourselves and criticize others for a "lack of will" to overcome the very things which make all of us human.  

Answer 4

I would conclude that genes play a roll in traits and urges.  As in even among inferior stocks, hybrids often are an improvement on their ancestors. Hybridization makes for species improvement because of the role of the dominant genes. Racial inter mixture increases the likelihood of a larger number of the desirable dominants being present in the hybrid.

As for free will. Mind transmutes the values of spirit into the meanings of intellect; volition has power to bring the meanings of mind to fruit in both the material and spiritual domains. The Paradise ascent involves a relative and differential growth in spirit, mind, and energy. The personality is the unifier of these components of experiential individuality.

As for determinism it is a non starter by volition and personality.