“The existentialist, on the contrary, finds it extremely embarrassing that God does not exist, for there disappears with Him all possibility of finding values in an intelligible heaven. There can no longer be any good a priori, since there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think it. It is nowhere written that “the good” exists, that one must be honest or must not lie, since we are now upon the plane where there are only men. Dostoevsky once wrote: “If God did not exist, everything would be permitted”; and that, for existentialism, is the starting point. Everything is indeed permitted if God does not exist, and man is in consequence forlorn, for he cannot find anything to depend upon either within or outside himself. He discovers forthwith, that he is without excuse.”

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About Jean-Paul Sartre

Jean‑Paul Sartre (1905–1980) was a French philosopher, playwright, novelist, and political activist best known for developing the existentialist movement. His works such as *Being and Nothingness* and the play *No Exit* explore themes of freedom, responsibility, and the human condition. Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964, which he declined.

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"The existentialist, on the contrary, finds it extremely embarrassing…" — Jean-Paul Sartre | Daily Quotes