Disputes in the "metaphysics" of ethico-political transformation : a re-assessment of the speculative philosophies of Jacques Derrida and Emmanuel Levinas
My thesis contests a putative congruity between Derrida and Levinas concerning discussions of responsibility, ethics and otherness. It attends to the fundamental 'metaphysical' differences between the two with respect to ontology, language and historicity. Consequently, it foregrounds two distinct conceptions of philosophy, which differ with respect to task, strategy and presentational form. Since Levinas's key notion of the 'face' [le visage], which cannot be equated to any actual countenance, breaks with phenomenality - no small issue for an avowed phenomenology - this thesis will begin by treating the category of the other (or. Other) in Levinas's writings as a conundrum. By analysing the two major topographies of the Other developed by Levinas in Totality and Infinity and Otherwise than Being (with particular attention to their differences), I ask: who or what counts as the other for Levinas? Concurrently, I track Derrida's writings across his career to see if he can be held to subscribe to either of these models, noting the transformations that Derrida effects upon Levinas. By analysing them in tandem, the metaphysical and speculative contours of both thinkers (which if not neglected in the secondary
McGettigan, Andrew
Disputes in the "metaphysics" of ethico-political transformation : a re-assessment of the speculative philosophies of Jacques Derrida and Emmanuel Levinas. My thesis contests a putative congruity between Derrida and Levinas concerning discussions of responsibility, ethics and otherness. It attends to the fundamental 'metaphysical' differences between the two with respect to ontology, language and historicity. Consequently, it foregrounds two distinct conceptions of philosophy, which differ with respect to task, strategy and presentational form. Since Levinas's key notion of the 'face' [le visage], which cannot be equated to any actual countenance, breaks with phenomenality - no small issue for an avowed phenomenology - this thesis will begin by treating the category of the other (or. Other) in Levinas's writings as a conundrum. By analysing the two major topographies of the Other developed by Levinas in Totality and Infinity and Otherwise than Being (with particular attention to their differences), I ask: who or what counts as the other for Levinas? Concurrently, I track Derrida's writings across his career to see if he can be held to subscribe to either of these models, noting the transformations that Derrida effects upon Levinas. By analysing them in tandem, the metaphysical and speculative contours of both thinkers (which if not neglected in the secondary
disputes metaphysics political_transformation re_assessment speculative_philosophy derrida emmanuel_levinas contest putative derrida levinas concern discussion responsibility ethic otherness fundamental metaphysical difference_two respect ontology language historicity consequently foreground two_distinct conception philosophy differ respect task strategy presentational form since levinas key notion face equate actual countenance break small issue phenomenology begin treat category levinas writing analyse two_major topography develop levinas totality infinity otherwise particular_attention difference ask count levinas concurrently track derrida writing across career see hold subscribe either model note transformation derrida effect_upon levinas analyse tandem metaphysical speculative contour thinker neglect secondary