And Levinas Created a Controversy About Women

Authors

Shulamit M. Shapiro, Swarthmore College

Abstract

Feminist critiques railed against Levinas are not convincing. The “politically correct” feminist critics miss the Biblical and Talmudic application in Levinas’ philosophy. In this paper, the author rejects Luce Irigaray’s argument about the importance of sexual pleasure. Neither does Catherine Chalier succeed with her argument that Levinas essentializes the feminine in a way that keeps women from “the highest destiny of human beings.” In point of fact, Levinas believes in the interdependence of men and women. He finds that the human psyche is better probed through the notion of ethical responsibility than sexual liberation. There’s not anything immoral about this perspective.

Recommended Citation

Shapiro, Shulamit M. (1996) "And Levinas Created a Controversy About Women," Episteme: Vol. 7, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.denison.edu/episteme/vol7/iss1/4