The Cambridge Introduction to Emmanuel Levinas

A clear overview of the philosophical thinking of Emmanuel Levinas, one of the most significant philosophers of the twentieth century.

Michael L. Morgan (Author)

9780521141062, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 14 March 2011

270 pages
22.4 x 15.2 x 2 cm, 0.39 kg

'Situating Levinas's thought within twentieth-century debates on the sources of normativity, The Cambridge Introduction to Emmanuel Levinas argues for the originality of Levinas's position as an account of ordinary life and what it is to live that life meaningfully and morally. Michael Morgan makes Levinas's writings approachable without sacrificing their philosophical complexity or the depth of the ethical experience they attempt to convey. His book sharpens the terms of debate over Levinas's ethics, brings new and important voices into the conversation, and challenges readers to move beyond standard interpretations. More than a simple introduction, this book is a deftly guided tour of the thorniest issues confronting those who seek to understand Levinas and his work. Morgan has brought us a book destined to change how we read Levinas today.' Diane Perpich, Clemson University

This book provides a clear and helpful overview of the thought of Emmanuel Levinas, one of the most significant and interesting philosophers of the late twentieth century. Michael L. Morgan presents an overall interpretation of Levinas' central principle that human existence is fundamentally ethical and that its ethical character is grounded in our face-to-face relationships. He explores the religious, cultural and political implications of this insight for modern Western culture and how it relates to our conception of selfhood and what it is to be a person, our understanding of the ground of moral values, our experience of time and the meaning of history, and our experience of religious concepts and discourse. Includes an annotated list of recommended readings and a selected bibliography of books by and about Levinas. An excellent introduction to Levinas for readers unfamiliar with his work and even for those without a background in philosophy.

Introduction
1. Responding to atrocity in the twentieth century
2. How to read Levinas: normativity and transcendental philosophy
3. The ethical content of the face-to-face
4. Philosophy, totality, and the everyday
5. Subjectivity and the self: passivity and freedom
6. God, philosophy, and the ground of the ethical
7. Time, history, and messianism
8. Greek and Hebrew
Conclusions, puzzles, problems
Annotated reading list and bibliography.

Subject Areas: Jewish studies [JFSR1], Philosophy of religion [HRAB], Philosophy [HP]