Despite growing interest in her philosophy, Simone de Beauvoir remains widely misunderstood. She is typically portrayed as a mere intellectual follower of her companion, Jean-Paul Sartre. In Philosophical Writings, Beauvoir herself shows that nothing could be further from the truth.

Beauvoir's philosophical work suffers from a lack of English-language translation or, worse, mistranslation into heavily condensed popular versions. Philosophical Writings provides an unprecedented collection of complete, scholarly editions of philosophical texts that cover the first twenty-three years of Beauvoir's career, including a number of recently discovered works. Ranging from metaphysical literature to existentialist ethics, Philosophical Writings brings together diverse elements of Beauvoir's work while highlighting continuities in the development of her thought. Each of the translations features detailed notes and a scholarly introduction explaining its larger significance.

Revelatory and long overdue, Philosophical Writings adds to the ongoing resurgence of interest in Beauvoir's thought and to her growing influence on today's philosophical curriculum.

| Contents Preface to the Beauvoir Series Sylvie Le Bon de Beauvoir Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Analysis of Claude Bernard's Introduction to the Study of Experimental Medicine [1924] Introduction by Margaret Simons and Hélène N. Peters Analysis of Claude Bernard's Introduction to the Study of Experimental Medicine 2. Two Unpublished Chapters from She Came to Stay [1935-37] Introduction by Edward Fullbrook Two Unpublished Chapters from She Came to Stay 3. Pyrrhus and Cineas (1944) Introduction by Debra Bergoffen Pyrrhus and Cineas 4. A Review of Phenomenology of Perception by Merleau- Ponty (1945) Introduction by Sara Heinämaa A Review of Phenomenology of Perception by Merleau-Ponty 5. Moral Idealisme and Political Realism (1945) Introduction by Sonia Kruks Moral Idealisme and Political Realism 6. Existentialism and Popular Wisdom (1945) Introduction by Eleanore Holveck Existentialism and Popular Wisdom 7. Jean-Paul Sartre [1945] Introduction by Karen Vintges Jean-Paul Sartre 8. An Eye for an Eye (1946) Introduction by Kristana Arp An Eye for an Eye 9. Literature and Metaphysics (1946) Introduction by Margaret Simons Literature and Metaphysics 10. Introduction to an Ethics of Ambiguity (1946) Introduction by Gail Weiss Introduction to an Ethics of Ambiguity 11. An Existentialist Looks at Americans (1947) Introduction by Shannon M. Mussett An Existentialist Looks at Americans 12. What is Existentialism? (1947) Introduction by Nancy Bauer What is Existentialism? Contributors Index |"A valuable addition to collections of philosophy, feminism, and modern French literature. Recommended."—Choice
"What emerges from the essays Philosophical Writings collects will neither shock nor surprise Beauvoir scholars but is sure to delight. . . . The editors and contributors to Philosophical Writings have crafted an engaging text that is sure to encourage a deeper interest in the study of Beauvoir and her place in the philosophical canon."—Hypatia
"This work is a treasure. Now, English-speaking readers who are not fluent in French will have the opportunity to read these selections for themselves. Each piece is preceded by a very helpful introduction and commentary by a well-known Beauvoir scholar, who places the piece in context and notes how it relates to one or more of Beauvoir's better-known works that have long been translated into English. Each selection also has its own translator (distinct from the commentator). The translations read...