Ethics, politics, and theater: the problem of dirty hands in Sartre and Camus

Abstract

The following text addresses the problem of dirty hands, a much-discussed issue in moral and political philosophy, based on the plays of Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. First, the context of the discussion is outlined in relation to the tradition of Western political philosophy. Sections 2 and 3 present the problem through the lens of the work of Sartre and Camus, respectively. Finally, the conclusions propose a mediating reading that highlights the contributions of both authors.