ABSTRACT
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-80) ranks among the leading thinkers of the twentieth
century. His philosophical treatises developed and defended an original picture of
human nature. He also wrote successful novels and plays that dramatized his
important philosophical insights. While editing a leading popular journal of ideas,
he addressed many contested political issues of his era with acumen and commit-
ment. In addition, he published several literary biographies (and a partial autobi-
ography) to demonstrate his approach to comprehending individuals in their
historical contexts. His works stimulated responses from many of his most
important contemporaries, for example, Merleau-Ponty, Levinas, de Beauvoir and
Camus.
