Levinas

Question 1

Who is Levinas? What is he known for?

Answer 1

Relationship driven, Holocaust, Philosophy professor, and has a connection with Pope John Paul II

Question 2

Sameness of things vs singularity of things

Answer 2

-He objected to western tendency to see human beings, essentially the same.
-he recognized uniqueness of all humans.

Question 3

The good is Infinite

Answer 3

-The search of God is the same as the search of good- Levinas central question
-god sees as unique individuals who create his image.
-Levinas says- there are traces of God and good at all of us.
-Nothing is identical to God or Good and we look for trace of God.

Question 4

Trace of God

Answer 4

-
god is like the sun, and we can see traces of the sun
-we only see a glimpse of the grandeur
-so just beyond point of vision
-god is always a step ahead of us

Question 5

The face as Witness of Good

Answer 5

-human face reveal’s encounter with divine known as “window to soul”
-A deep encounter or thrill of astonishment, happens with another, when you see the trace of God in their face
-when you encounter you can’t escape their uniqueness
-each face has an authority that we draw to it because it’s a part of divine.

Question 6

Face as Ethical

Answer 6

-Love a stranger as yourself
-this face makes responsible, aware that you’re not as innocent as you think
-this face makes you responsible when finding another suffering we act
-Levinas challenges to see the other is superior.