The Problem of the “Nichts” (Rosenzweig) and the “Il y a” (Levinas) as correlate of freedom

Luc Anckaert (KULeuven)

Introduction

The testimonies of Levinas on Rosenzweig Subjectivity as rupture Relationality Empiricism Judaism and Christianity

Introduction

A speculative gesture “Nichts” and the structure of the Star Influence on the early texts of Levinas The “There is” and subjectivity in

Totality and Infinity.

I. Nothing and the structure of the Star

1. Death as starting point in Rosenzweig The Threefold Nothing as the ‘end-

points’ of Kants Critique Nothing as existential reality

Nietzsche and the death of GOD Historicism and the death of the WORLD Idealism and determinism as the death of

MAN

I. Nothing and the structure of the Star

2. The end-point as new beginning Schellings later philosophy Rosenzweig: from death to life The structure of the Star

I. Nothing and the structure of the Star

The structure of the Star I: The irreducibility of God-Man-World II: The relation: creation – revelation –

redemption III: Judaism – Christianity - Thruth

Star of David

Creation Revelation

Redemption

GOD

MANWORLD

II. The earlier texts of Levinas

Points of attention There is Hypostasis

A “phenomenological dialectic of human freedom

A double parallelism

III. Totality and Infinity

A double shift: The secondary place of the There is “Separation” instead of “Hypostasis”

III. Totality and Infinity

1. The There is as inner limit of separation A quality of the elementale A double limit of separation

The intoxication of enjoyment The There is for the other man

The There is as flip side of separation

III. Totality and Infinity

2. The Separation as desire Separation as self-identification Phenomenology of Eros Subject-object structure of

intentionality Social relation vs theoretical

intentionality Transgressive relationality

Conclusion

The early texts of Levinas A double shift in Totality and Infinity

See also: Luc Anckaert, A Critique of Infinity. Rosenzweig and Levinas, Louvain-Paris-Dudley, 2006