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The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Episode 145: Emmanuel Levinas: Why Be Ethical?

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Mark Linsenmayer

Philosophy, Society & Culture

4.62.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 August 2016

⏱️ 122 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On "Ethics as First Philosophy" (1984). More existentialist ethics, with a Jewish twist this time! Seth returns to join Mark and Wes in figuring out how to best leave off all this aggressive "knowing" and other forms of individual self-assertion to grasp the more primordial appearance of the Other in all his or her vulnerability, which Levinas thinks makes us wholly responsible for others right off the bat.

End song: "To Valerie" from The MayTricks' So Chewy (1993).

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Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:09.5

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0:17.4

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0:19.8

To learn more, visit partiallyexaminalife.com slash support.

0:23.0

Now please enjoy the show.

0:31.0

You're listening to the partially examined life.

0:34.6

A philosophy podcast by some guys who read one point said on doing philosophy for a living,

0:39.2

but then thought better of it.

0:41.0

Our question for episode 145 is again something like,

0:44.6

what's the place of ethics in existentialism?

0:47.6

We read three selections by Emmanuel Levinaus from the Levinaus reader.

0:51.4

Ethics as first philosophy, parts three and four of time and the other,

0:55.1

and there is existence without existence.

0:58.5

You can join the discussion, get the texts, and lots more information at partiallyexaminalife.com.

1:02.9

This is Mark Linton-Mayer in the space that keeps us away from ourselves in Madison, Wisconsin.

1:08.2

This is Seth Pascon, passively awaiting to be overcome by the future in Austin, Texas.

1:14.0

This is Wes AllOne, not literally face-to-face with my fellow podcasters,

1:18.4

but face-to-face nonetheless in Boston, Massachusetts.

...

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