A fundamental choice is only real as a choice in the world

Evidence

This project is not instantaneous, for it can not be “in” time. Neither is it non-temporal in order to “give time to itself” afterwards. That is why we reject Kant’s “choice of intelligible character.” The structure of the choice necessarily implies that it be a choice in the world. A choice which would be a choice in terms of nothing, a choice against nothing would be a choice of nothing and would be annihilated as choice. — Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness, 1147

Categorization

• DEFINE: Sharply delimits the Kantian non-temporal intelligible character against Sartre’s temporally-embedded fundamental choice — a key ontological distinction.
• XREF: The rejection of Kant’s intelligible character is foundational for Beauvoir’s situated ethics — freedom never operates from nowhere, a point she inherits directly. — connects to: Freedom is meaningful only as engaged by free choice of ends; Freedom is only real once it chooses its own finitude. — Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness: An Essay on…, 1176; The refusal to choose is itself a choice. — Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism, 26 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Freedom is meaningful only as engaged by free choice of ends #expands (0.82)
• The refusal to choose is itself a choice. #expands (0.80) — Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism, 26
• Freedom is only real once it chooses its own finitude. #corroborates (0.78) — Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness, 1176
• Every human act makes the absolute through free choice #corroborates (0.78) — Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism, 24
• Formalism is treating as inexorable any choice that is not. #expands (0.75) — Frederick Schauer, Formalism, 34
• Absurdity means the choice grounds all reasons and reasons-for-being #corroborates (0.74)
• The human race is constituted by free individual choices, not vice versa #corroborates (0.72) — Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness, 1222
• Human universality is perpetually made by choice, not given in advance. #corroborates (0.70) — Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism, 23