The Self and the Other in the Philosophy of Levinas

Yıl 2017, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 2, 243 - 250, 30.12.2017

Cemzade Kader Düşgün

Öz

In Levinas‟ philosophy the concept of the Self occupies a quite significant place. In this respect the unfolding of the appearances of the Other sets the objective and the scope of this paper. The fundamental relationship between the Self and the Other is grounded on ethics since, unlike in Western Philosophy, it is ethics rather than ontology that is the base of Levinas‟s philosophy. His framework can be considered a critique of the perspective which approaches the issue from its ontology identifying the Self with the Other. Therefore, breaking ties with tradition becomes possible only in the language. Accordingly, the crucial theme of the Levinas‟ philosophy is the ethical language that presents itself in the ethical relationship with the Other. The relationship of responsibility between the Self and the Other is unconditional, infinite, and non-reciprocal, and tracing back the source of this relationship is not possible since this relationship is contained in infinity itself. Diachrony which breaks the identity of the Self refers to the eternalization of responsibility. The paper also reveals the fact that Levinas himself also falls into the trap of the logic of identification in Western metaphysics in the discussion of whether responsibility of the self stems from free will or from infinity. In that, the obligation of the Other in the face of the impotence of the Self eliminates the freedom of the Other and entails responsibility towards the Self. Hence, this results in the identification of the differences of the Other to be dissolved in the Self itself. Thus, this paper aims at foregrounding the differences between the Self and the Other.

Anahtar Kelimeler

The Other, The Self, Identical, Ethics, Responsibility

Kaynakça

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