Izabrana dela 7: Portreti

Portraits is a collection of philosophical essays, literary criticism, polemics, and interviews by Jean-Paul Sartre, one of the most influential figures of existentialism. The book reveals Sartre as a thinker who does not separate philosophy from literature, politics, and personal responsibility.

In the essay Cartesian Freedom, he examines Descartes's conception of freedom, while The New Mystic and Departure and Return raise questions regarding contemporary literature and philosophical thought. The texts Reply to Albert Camus and Albert Camus shed light on Sartre's complex relationship with Albert Camus, including their intellectual and political differences.

The portraits of Paul Nizan and Merleau-Ponty are dedicated to two important French intellectuals—Paul Nizan and Maurice Merleau-Ponty—and explore their ideas and social engagement.

In the text The Singular Universal, Sartre investigates the relationship between individual existence and broader historical circumstances, while A Plea for Intellectuals examines the social role, responsibility, and contradictions inherent in intellectual activity. The final section, Sartre on Sartre: Interviews, presents the author's reflections on his own life, creative work, and philosophical convictions.

Portraits offers valuable insight into Sartre's philosophy of freedom, his polemical temperament, and his intellectual engagement, as well as into key debates within 20th-century French thought.