The work of Sartre : search for freedom and the challenge of history

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 Sartre was 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 legacy—as novelist, playwright, philosopher, and political actor—and 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. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Preface to the Expanded Edition......Page 10 Introduction to the First Edition......Page 16 PART ONE: The Unity of Life and Work: Outline of Sartre’s Development......Page 32 1—The Writer and His Situation......Page 34 2—Philosophy, Literature and Myth......Page 48 3 From “The Legend of Truth” to a “True Legend”: Phases of Sartre’s Development......Page 68 PART TWO: Search for Freedom......Page 90 4—Search For the Individual: The Early Works......Page 92 5—Freedom and Passion: The World of Being and Nothingness......Page 144 A Note on Being and Nothingness......Page 218 PART THREE: The Challenge of History......Page 224 Introduction......Page 226 6—Material and Formal Structures of History: Critique of Sartre’s Conception of Dialectical Reason and Historical Totalization......Page 240 7—Lévy-Strauss Against Sartre......Page 280 8—The Role of Scarcity in Historical Conceptions......Page 296 9—The Missing Dimension......Page 308 Conclusion......Page 326 Notes......Page 332 C......Page 376 G......Page 377 L......Page 378 M......Page 379 S......Page 380 Z......Page 381 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 Sartre was 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 legacy - as novelist, playwright, philosopher, and political actor- and 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 The Unity Of Life And Work: Outline Of Sartre's Development. The Writer And His Situation ; Philosophy, Literature, And Myth ; From The Legend Of Truth To A True Legend: Phases Of Sartre's Development -- Search For Freedom. Search For The Individual : The Early Works ; Freedom And Passion : The Work Of Being And Nothingness ; A Note On Being And Nothingness -- The Challenge Of History. Material And Formal Structures Of History: Critique Of Sartre's Conception Of Dialectical Reason And Historical Totalization ; Lévi-strauss Against Sartre ; The Role Of Scarcity In Historical Conceptions ; The Mission Dimension. By István Mészáros. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.