Philosophy

This course will concentrate on the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995). Initially influenced by Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, Levinas’ philosophical path diverged in the direction of Ethics as a radical critique of the traditional view of human beings as “knowing” or “rational” subjects. This course will look at Levinas’ ethics both as a critique of traditional and contemporary theories of knowledge and existence, as well as a post-modern critique of western philosophy. These concerns are developed through Levinas’ descriptions of our encounter with the “Other” in terms of his investigations into the human face, desire, gift, language, the concern for justice, and God.