In this clear, accessible guide, Sean Hand sets Levinas's work in its intellectual and social contexts and examines:
- the influence of phenomenology and Judaism on Levinas's thought
- key Levinasian concepts such as the 'face', the 'other', ethical consciousness and responsibility
- Levinas's work on aesthetics
- the relationship of philosophy and religion in Levinas's writings
- the interaction of Levinas's work with historical discussions.
Concluding with an assessment of Levinas's continuing influence in contemporary theory and a thorough guide to further reading, this volume is an invaluable first step for those new to his wide-ranging and sometimes difficult work.