The Transcendence of the Ego

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(s)

Jean-Paul Sartre

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), the novelist, essayist, playwright, and philosopher, was France's leading existentialist. Among his most widely celebrated works are the novel Nausea, the play No Exit, and the philosophical treatise Being and Nothingness. Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964.