What Is Subjectivity?

This book presents a significant debate led by Jean-Paul Sartre on the nature of subjectivity, featuring insights from prominent Italian thinkers.

In 1961, renowned French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre delivered a lecture at the Gramsci Institute in Rome, engaging with Italy's most prominent Marxist thinkers. This pivotal event brought together intellectuals such as Enzo Paci, Cesare Luporini, and Galvano Della Volpe, who contributed to a rich and nuanced discussion that followed Sartre's talk. The central question posed by Sartre, What is subjectivity?, resonates deeply within contemporary critical theory, making this work not only historically significant but also relevant to modern philosophical debates.

What Is Subjectivity? captures the essence of this remarkable dialogue, presenting Sartre's insights alongside the responses of his Italian counterparts. The text serves as a valuable record of the exchange of ideas, illuminating the complexities of subjectivity and its implications for understanding the self in relation to society. The inclusion of a preface by Michel Kail and Raoul Kirchmayr, as well as an afterword by Fredric Jameson, further enriches the reader's experience, offering additional context and analysis.

Through this book, readers are invited to explore the intricate layers of Sartre's thought and its enduring influence on philosophy. What Is Subjectivity? stands as a testament to the power of intellectual discourse and the ongoing relevance of existentialist ideas in addressing fundamental questions about human experience and identity.