First published in 1947, and written mostly during Levinas's imprisonment during World War II, this work provides the first sketch of his mature thoughtlater developed in Totality and Infinity and Otherwise Than Being, or Beyond Essence. This is essential reading for understanding both Levinas's own philosophy and the developments in philosophical thought in the twentieth century.
After discussing existentialism as it pertains to art, human emotions, and psychology, French existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre turns the question of existentialism to the subject of literature by stating that he wishes to “examine the art of writing without prejudice.” Sartre eschews the idea of artists and writers comparing their works of art to one another; instead, he argues, …