Rahul Sarangal

SUBJECTS AND ETHICS OF HUMANENESS

Traditional Western philosophical approaches tend to prioritize the self and individuality over the ethical obligations we have toward others. “I think, therefore I am” concerns on defining the self and leaves no room for the “Other”. Levinas opposes this view and emphasizes the ethical demand of the Other on the self and the responsibility we bear for the well-being and dignity of others.

Humaneness arises from the encounter with the face of the “Other”. The face is not merely a physical aspect of the Other, but it represents a vulnerability, uniqueness, and humanity present only in other “Subjects”. When we encounter the face of the Other, we are called upon by an ethical responsibility that goes beyond our self-interest and individual concerns.

Humaneness, for Levinas, is not something that can be defined through principles or moral systems. Instead, it is a lived experience, a call to respond to the suffering and needs of others with compassion, care, and respect. This ethical responsibility to the Other, according to Levinas, is prior to any theoretical considerations and constitutes the foundation of our subjectivity and identity.

Levinas’s philosophy of humaneness challenges us to look beyond ourselves and our own interests, recognizing the ethical significance of the face-to-face encounter with the Other. By acknowledging and responding to the humanity of others, we can foster a more just, compassionate, and humane world.