Paper III: Philosophy 101
Paper
Theme: Discuss how either Buber or Sartre would
understand Matthew Poncelet’s struggle to
become responsible in Dead Man Walking.
Paper
Length: At least three type-written pages.
Description: At the beginning of Dead Man Walking,
Matthew Poncelet is a murderer who views the world
cynically, who manipulates those around him and who still denies the crime he
has in fact perpetrated. Using the
thought of either Buber or Sartre as your guide,
discuss how Sister Prejean’s counseling of
Matthew leads him to a more authentic life by helping him to take
responsibility for his actions. In doing
so, you may want to discuss how Matthew is initially entangled in what Buber would call “the lie,” or Sartre,
"bad faith." Are there particular moments in this struggle that Buber or Sartre would praise or condemn? For what reason(s)? Do you think in the end that Matthew has
taken sufficient responsibility for his actions? Why or why not? Finally, do you personally think that
Matthew’s execution was or was not a good action on the part of the
state? Make sure to give the grounds for
your thinking. You may want to discuss
the effect of his death on the parents of the victims in this part of your
paper. In what manner should one respond
to the murderer when one is a friend or relative of the victim?
In
developing a Sartrean response, you may want to refer
to the following terms: bad faith, anguish, forlornness and despair, as well as
the principles that my existence precedes my essence and that my choice must
choose for all other human-beings as well.
In
developing a Buberian response, you may want to refer
to the following terms: genuine conversation, turning or change of heart,
existential guilt, rationalization, I/Thou and I/It relationships, arrogance,
goodwill, reliability, loyalty. Think of
his distinction between experience and encounter. And regarding psychoanalytic (or
pathological), extrinsic and existential forms of guilt. Also consider his dictums: “Humans are
those beings who are capable of becoming guilty and
are capable of illuminating that guilt” and “All living is meeting.”
In
your response you may want to refer to the Greek notion of aitia
and how it means both being a cause and being responsible. You may also want to make a point about
whether a notion of G-d is necessary for people to be moral. Keep in mind that Sister Helen Prejean assumes that the relationship of the soul to its
G-d is at the very core of the struggle for repentance. Sartre would categorically reject any
discussion of G-d, and Buber argues around the point
by talking about existential guilt instead of a guilt imposed extrinsically by
G-d. Which form of guilt seems the most
real to you?
The
paper is due by (to be announced in class). Please hand it in at the Philosophy House.