Colin Davis

In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in the workof Emmanuel Levinas, widely recognized as one of the most importantyet difficult philosophers of the 20th century. In this much-needed introduction, Davis unpacks the concepts at thecentre of Levinas's thought - alterity, the Other, the Face,infinity - concepts which have previously presented readers withmajor problems of interpretation. Davis traces the development of Levinas's thought over six decades,describing the context in which he worked, and the impact of hiswritings. He argues that Levinas's work remains tied to theontological tradition with which he wants to break, anddemonstrates how his later writing tries to overcome thisdependency by its increasingly disruptive, sometimes opaque,textual practice. He discusses Levinas's theological writings andhis relationship to Judaism, as well as the reception of his workby contemporary thinkers, arguing that the influence of his workhas led to a growing interest in ethical issues amongpoststructuralist and postmodernist thinkers in recent years. Comprehensive and clearly written, this book will be essentialreading for students and researchers in continental philosophy,French studies, literary theory and theology.

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