GPHI
6086

Levinas and ...

New School for Social Research: Philosophy

Liberal Arts
Graduate Course
Majors Only
Levinas and...
Fall 2025
Taught By: Simon Critchley
Section: A

CRN: 18071

Credits: 3

This lecture course will attempt to introduce, explain and, to some extent, defend Levinas work via his complex relations to a series of other philosophers. Firstly, through those who most influenced him, positively and negatively: Husserl, Hegel and Heidegger. Secondly, through some of those readers who have engaged most powerfully with Levinas's work: Blanchot, Derrida and Irigaray. We will also examine Levinas's relation to a number of other 'ands': Judaism, psychoanalysis, Benjamin, Kant, politics, theories of the political, the problem of violence, sexual difference, the question of gender and the experience of literature. My overall aim is to show the persuasiveness and fragility of Levinas's thinking, where we will hopefully feel tempted and provoked by Levinas's thinking, but in a way that does not discourage critique.

Prerequisites: No Prerequisites
Co-Requisites: No Co-requisites

College: New School for Social Research (GF)

Department: Philosophy (PHI)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Lecture (L)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 40

Repeat Limit: 8

Add/Drop Deadline: September 9, 2025 (Tuesday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 17, 2025 (Monday)

Seats Available: Yes

Status: Open*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 12:06pm EDT 3/14/2025

Meeting Info:
Days: Wednesday
Times: 8:00pm - 9:50pm
Building: TBD
Room: TBD
Date Range: 8/27/2025 - 12/15/2025