Abstract

This paper examines Sartre's conception of (Hegelian) recognition. This conception is often described as 'dialogical', likened to a conversation. However, if we consider Sartre's analysis of the relation between writer and reader in Why Write?, it becomes apparent that three elements are involved: the writer, the reader, and a 'silence' which precedes (and follows) the interaction between writer and reader. The paper probes the meaning and function of this silence, examining what Sartre's idea of recognition owes to the aesthetic experience.