Levinas, Judaism, and the feminine : the silent footsteps of Rebecca / Claire Elise Katz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Katz, Claire Elise, 1964-

Series:

Indiana series in the philosophy of religion

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Lévinas, Emmanuel.

Femininity (Philosophy)--History--20th century.

Femininity (Philosophy).

Ethics, Modern--20th century.

Ethics, Modern.

Jewish ethics--History--20th century.

Jewish ethics.

History.

Physical Description:

xvi, 199 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Bloomington : Indiana University Press, [2003]

Summary:

Challenging previous interpretations of Levinas that gloss over his use of the feminine or show how he overlooks questions raised by feminists, Claire Elise Katz explores the powerful and productive links between the feminine and religion in Levinas's work. Rather than viewing the feminine as a metaphor with no significance for women or as a means to reinforce traditional stereotypes, Katz goes beyond questions of sexual difference to reach a more profound understanding of the role of the feminine in Levinas's conception of ethical responsibility. She combines feminist interpretations of Levinas with interpretations that focus on his Jewish writings to reveal that the feminine provides an important bridge between his philosophy and his Judaism. Katz's reading of Levinas's conception of the feminine against the backdrop of discussions of women of the Hebrew bible points to important shifts in contemporary philosophy toward the creation of life and care for the other.

Contents:

1. Judaism and the Ethical: Recovering the Other 8

2. The Time of Creation 22

3. The Inauguration of Sexual Difference 35

4. The Hospitality of the Feminine 55

5. Eros, Sexual Difference, and the Question of Ethics 66

6. Ruth; or, Love and the Ethics of Fecundity 78

7. Cain and the Responsibility of Choice 97

8. Abraham and the Tempering of Virility 108

9. Maternity, Sacrifice, and Sarah's Choice 126

10. The Silent Footsteps of Rebecca 139.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [157]-192) and index.

ISBN:

025334302X

0253216249

OCLC:

51984789