In this dissertation I argue that the proto-daoist text the Zhuangzi and the ethical relation of Levinas are fruitful resources to reconsider the self-other relation in comparative philosophy.... Show moreIn this dissertation I argue that the proto-daoist text the Zhuangzi and the ethical relation of Levinas are fruitful resources to reconsider the self-other relation in comparative philosophy. Comparative philosophy is a hermeneutical practice in which the philosopher's assumptions, beliefs and emotional commitments influence and determine the comparative process. I argue that in order to overcome injustice and theoretical colonization of the cultural other, we need to adopt an ethical attiude in which we reside in the pivot and are willing to take the quesiton of social justice into account Show less
In this article I show the relevance of Emmanuel Levinas’ notion of primordial teaching for understanding why online teach- ing cannot adequately mimic face-to-face teaching. I will argue that the... Show moreIn this article I show the relevance of Emmanuel Levinas’ notion of primordial teaching for understanding why online teach- ing cannot adequately mimic face-to-face teaching. I will argue that the current Covid-19 pandemic shows us that being in the immediacy of the embodied presence of one’s students is intimately intertwined with being responsive to the needs of students, which highlights that teaching is not only the trans- mission of intellectual knowledge and skills but first and fore- most an ethical attunement to the suffering of the Other. Lev- inas argues that teaching is in its essence a relation between unique individuals; a uniqueness that originates in the indi- vidual’s unconditional responsibility to each and every other human being. This unconditional responsibility is for Levinas the non-mediated embodied sensitivity to the needs of the Other; an openness that precedes freedom and the conscious choice of a person. In this article I claim this embodied sensitiv- ity is jeopardised in online education, which makes it harder for the teacher to attune to the needs of every student. The risk we run is that the face of the Other remains ‘plastic’, which makes it more difficult for the teacher to attune to the specific needs of students. I will argue that online teaching should not only con- centrate on enabling the transmission of knowledge but should also invest in creating an environment of intimacy that enables responsiveness and genuine contact. Show less
