Sartre, Imagination and Dialectical Reason: Creating Society as a Work of Art

(Hardback)

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There are perpetual debates about the extent of freedom in politics. Are we free to choose Are we overdetermined by our material conditions Some hybrid between the two What is more, how are we to comprehend ourselves as creators of history if freedom itself is a problematic concept And what would it mean if self-comprehension were foreclosed by this problematic In this text, Austin Hayden Smidt analyzes an oft-overlooked text by Jean-Paul Sartre in order to ground a logical framework for exploring this paradox. In Critique of Dialectical Reason, Sartre sought to develop an historical and structural heuristic; one that would enable future theorists and activists alike to assess the pressing problems facing the various milieux of capitalist life. Through this heuristic, his intent was to develop an orientation enabling humans to transform their world in their perpetual creation of themselves (and vice versa). However, the stylistic difficulties of the text, as well as a general agreement among previous interpreters, has prevented the richness of the investigation from taking root. This book sets a new course, and invites further collaboration as together we create society as a work of art.

Reviews

Through a series of carefully executed and highly engaging analyses, Austin Hayden Smidt proposes an original perspective on Sartres philosophical project. Exploring in detail Sartres critique of dialectical reason and the way it allows us to rethink not just key issues in philosophy but also important aspects of political economy in the neoliberal era, he makes a strong case for the relevance of Sartres thought in the current moment. -- Martijn Konings, Professor of Political Economy and Social Theory, University of Sydney
Sartre, Imagination, and Dialectical Reason is an original and profound contribution to Sartre scholarship and contemporary critical theory. Against conventional readings, Austin Smidt argues meticulously and compellingly that Sartres second major philosophical treatise is better than a work of social ontology; it is a work of `formal logic, a transformative and liberatory logic of social creation. In keeping with Sartres lifelong and too often underappreciated fascination with the imaginary, Smidt reaffirms the centrality of imagination for critical theory, both in our efforts to understand the world better than we do, and more importantly, in our efforts to make the world a better place than it is. -- Matthew C. Ally, Professor of Philosophy, City University of New York/BMCC
This is an important and elaborate rethinking of Sartres all too often neglected Critique of Dialectical Reason. Through a patient and systematic unpacking of this work, set in dialogue with Marx and other critical thinkers, Smidt convincingly demonstrates the power, relevance, and utility that Sartres thought continues to hold for us today. Highly recommended! -- Nick Srnicek, Lecturer in Digital Economy, Kings College London

Author Bio

Austin Hayden Smidt is a political philosopher, producer, writer, podcaster and performer. His research is most concerned with analyzing social life under the conditions of capitalism in order to envision better arrangements. He is the producer of the cinematic adaptation of the best-selling book Inventing the Future and co-host of the Show Me the Meaning and Owls at Dawn podcasts.