The Work of Sartre

by Meszaros, Istvan

• ISBN13: 9781583672921
• ISBN10: 1583672923
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-07-01
• Publisher: Monthly Review Pr

Summary

This landmark book, first published in 1979, met acclaim as a doubly important work of radical philosophy. Its subject, Jean-Paul Sartre, was among the twentieth century's most controversial and influential philosophers; its author, István Mészáros, was himself establishing a reputation for profound contributions to the Marxian tradition, which would continue into the next century.The Work of Sartrewas thus considered essential for its insights on Sartre and as a piece of Mészáros 's developing politico-philosophical project. In this completely updated and expanded volume, Mészáros examines the manifold aspects of Sartre's legacyas novelist, playwright, philosopher, and political actorand in so doing casts light upon the enture oeuvre, situating it within the historical and social context of Sartre's time. Although critical of aspects of Sartre's philosophy, Mészáros celebrates his unyielding commitment to the struggle against the power of capital, and elucidates what this means for the individual in their search for freedom.

Author Biography

Istvn Mszros is a world-renowned philosopher and critic. He left his native Hungary after the Soviet invasion of 1956. He is professor emeritus at the University of Sussex, where he held the chair of philosophy for fifteen years. Among his many books are Social Structure and Forms of Consciousness Volumes I and II, and Beyond Capital: Toward a Theory of Transition.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Expanded Edition	p. 9
Introduction to the First Edition	p. 15
The Unity of Life and Work: Outline of Sartre's Development
The Writer and His Situation	p. 33
Philosophy, Literature, and Myth	p. 47
From "The Legend of Truth" to a "True Legend": Phases of Sartre's Development	p. 67
Search for Freedom
Search for the Individual: The Early Works	p. 91
Freedom and Passion: The World of Being and Nothingness	p. 143
A Note on Being and Nothingness	p. 213
The Challenge of History
Introduction	p. 225
Material and Formal Structures of History: Critique of Sartre's Conception of Dialectical Reason and Historical Totalization	p. 239
Lévi-Strauss Against Sartre	p. 279
The Role of Scarcity in Historical Conceptions	p. 295
The Missing Dimension	p. 307
Conclusion	p. 325
Notes	p. 331
Index	p. 375
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