مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري

Abstract :

This text focuses on the novelties in our thinking concerning the concept of time brought about by Emmanuel Levinas’ philosophy in which time is defined as the transformation of Same to Other. Levinas’ criticisms of the linear understanding of time merges with unpredictable and non- measurable intensity of experience in his affrmative line of thought. Levinas’ discussion on being- towards-death with Heidegger presents a clue to reformulate the problem of the source of individuation. The criticism of phenomenology is directly related to the criticism of ontology as a first philosophy and, in this respect, it tries to weaken the classical concept of experience. Levinas’ strategy concentrates upon the semantic fields in which time is thrown open to infinity by transcending the ontologies which legitimates meta-physics based on solitary truth. That attempt, trying to reverse the equation between death and time, contributes to the development of, theme of infinity that Levinas’ philosophy wants to keep on his agenda. Derrida’s expression of Adieu which he tried to understand differently in Levinas’ funeral makes it possible to discover the ‘infinity’ in the understanding of time in Levinas’ philosophy which is neither linear nor cyclical. Two questions are, one is related to possiblity of ontology and the other, the limits of ethics, for these discussions are on the agenda of this text which tries to make a close reading of Levinas’ work titled Death and Time.