5 Pages Levinasian Ethics and Social Theory: The Status of the Other

Term Paper Instructions

Contemporary sociological theory has been, in many respects, an extended argument with positivism; the idea held by most of the classical theorists that sociology should develop as a branch of science. In doing so, the primary emphasis has been on developing knowledge that is objective.

But objective knowledge, say many postmodern thinkers, is dehumanizing knowledge.  In addition, the subject object split that creates the idea of 'objective knowledge' is not possible and to act as though it is further obscures what is in fact relative and subjective.  Treating people as objects ends in Auschwitz, that preeminent symbol of what objective, bureaucratic thinking can lead to.  Totalizing views of knowledge, as Lyotard says, "Have almost killed us."

Clearly there are implications in a totalizing view of knowledge for ethics.  Given the powerful arguments from Levinas with which we have closed this course, write a 2,000 word paper on the general topic "Levinasian Ethics and Social Theory: The Status of the Other."

This paper should illustrate your familiarity with Levinas as illustrated in Ethics and Infinity as well as other sources you have used in your studies of his ideas.  

Students who do well on this paper understand Levinasian ethics and the "status of the other". But they understand more than that. They also understand that his is a powerful ethic with

profound implications for social science. By the ethical standard of Levinas most of the

18th century Enlightenment project to which contemporary sociological theory is heir is a dismal failure because in part it has treated people as objects, i.e. objective, positivistic science. For Levinas there is no greater threat to humanity.

In addition, students are required obtain a copy of the award-winning Stephen Spielberg film Schindler’s List and view it in association with your paper and the discussion threads. If you have already seen the film, see it again in the context of Levinasian ethics. Don’t shortchange yourself by failing to comply with this requirement!

Show in your paper how the social sciences went wrong from a Levinasian frame and

what might be done to correct such ethical deficiencies.

This work must be your own.  Ideas not your own, paraphrases of the ideas of others, or quotes from other works must clearly be cited as such.  

For those of you not familiar with formatting and writing social science papers, I suggest you follow the APA or ASA formats for referencing and style and your paper will be in compliance.  If you do not have a copy of the APA guidelines, any general manual used in writing for the social sciences will be helpful.  Also, students in previous classes have found APA format guidelines online.  ASA or MLA is acceptable, only be consistent when choosing a writing style.  I pay attention to grammar and punctuation so be thorough and use proper English when writing your paper.