Comparative Reading on Freedom and Structure

Passage 1 examines how the philosophy of existentialism presents the concept of freedom as intrinsic to human existence. The author argues that individuals must confront the absurdity of life and create their own meaning, advocating that authenticity is achieved through personal choices. Existentialist thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir emphasize the responsibility that comes with such freedom, highlighting that this can lead to both empowerment and anxiety.

Passage 2 critiques the existentialist viewpoint by introducing the perspective of structuralism, which posits that human behavior is largely shaped by societal structures rather than individual agency. The author argues that while freedom is a component of human experience, it is often constrained by cultural, economic, and social factors that limit genuine autonomy. Thinkers like Michel Foucault and Claude Lévi-Strauss provide insights into how underlying structures impact human decision-making, suggesting that the notion of free will is more complex than existentialists acknowledge.