Name: Jie Romen Lim Date Submitted: April 10,

2021

Course: Philo 208 – MRME Instructor: Mr. Garry Gulay,

MA.

In the Beginning was Violence: Emmanuel Levinas on Religion and Violence

Article Review

Emmanuel Levinas' philosophy investigates ethics in relation to the Other, both

as God—a supreme being or some unifying aspect of life beyond earthly

comprehension—and as another human being—a neighbor, a companion, or a stranger

on the street. According to Levinas, the idea of the Other is inextricably linked to duty

and ethical action against the Other.

In relation to the article in question, the title itself - "In the Beginning Was Abuse"

- gives me the impression that violence has already been committed. What does this

imply? It means that the other's face is a violent assault on the subject, rather than an

affectionate appeal of love. The topic that is vulnerable to injury. In other words, the

subject is the one who is wounded, not the one who acts.

There are many stressful situations in which we can empathize with those who

are affected. But Levinas' point is that it is not the other who is traumatized by the

suffering of the other, but it is me who is traumatized by the suffering of the other. My

own understanding of how the other felt at the time that he was involved in such an

event is what causes me to be traumatized. This entails a certain amount of

accountability. Responsibility, according to Levinas, is not an entity to be taken by the

subject, but rather the inactive consciousness that is confronted with its responsibility.
 On the other part of the article, it discusses about the Other – God. If we take

God philosophically, God, according to Levinas, is not anything to be feared. So, who

should we be afraid of? There's something to be afraid of. Anything or someone from

the outside who is unfamiliar with me may cause me harm. So, when it comes to the

face, there is definitely something to be afraid of.

The word god, on the other hand, is only a language for Levinas. Language can

only repeat what has already been said. The face of the Other – God – offers us no clues

because it is not a message. Language is built on the basis of signs, and language is used

to communicate about objects or concepts. Levinas, on the other hand, needs us to

remember that the Face speaks to us in a way that precedes words. As a result, it is

referred to as a trace from the Face rather than language. It's called a trace because it's a

non-representation of something that isn't there. As a result, it is regarded as a mystery.

As a result, since God is at the center of the discussion, faith is greatly influenced.

Religion, according to Levinas, is not the same as believing in one entity or the other.

The lure of the other is what religion is all about. Furthermore, religion does not include

theology because God cannot be reduced to a philosophy or an idea. With this,

everybody in the world was tempted in the sense that the desire to see the Other's face

would lead us into the pit of another temptation, idolatry. To know is always to want to

know, a curiosity that, in the end, wants to know itself. In other words, we created our

own god.

As a result, I admire Immanuel Kant's statement, "The more attribute you offer to

the Absolute, the farther he goes." It simply means that “God” is eternal and beyond

comprehension, even when the word “God” itself.