The Transcendence of the Ego: An Existentialist Theory of Consciousness, Paperback

First published in France in 1937, this important essay marked a turning point in Sartre's philosophical development. Before writing it, he had been closely allied with phenomenologists such as Husserl and Heidegger. Here, however, Sartre attacked Husserl's notion of a transcendental ego. The break with Husserl, in turn, facilitated Sartre's transition from phenomenology to the existentialist doctrines of his masterwork, Being and Nothingness, which was completed a few years later while the author was a prisoner of war.

This student-friendly edition of The Transcendence of the Ego also includes an introduction and notes/annotations by the translators.

About the Author:

Jean-Paul Sartre--novelist, essayist, playwright, and philosopher--was France's leading existentialist. Among his most famous works are the novel Nausea, the play No Exit, and the philosophical treatise Being and Nothingness.