In this seminal work of existential philosophy, Simone de Beauvoir lays out a system of ethics built on the foundation of human freedom.

How should we act, and how should we live? For centuries, philosophers have sought various foundations to justify morality.

But how do we define a code of ethics in a world where we believe in neither God nor an essential human nature?

Simone de Beauvoir was a French writer, feminist, and social theorist who, along with her lifelong partner Jean-Paul Sartre, was considered one of the primary exponents of the philosophy of existentialism.

In this book, de Beauvoir attempts to seek a new basis for ethics - one grounded precisely in our lack of a fundamental essence, and the responsibility that comes with this freedom.