Levinas' 'Totality and Infinity': A Reader's Guide(Reader's Guides)

Emmanuel Levinas' Totality and Infinity is a monumental work of phenomenological enquiry that goes on to assert the centrality of ethics to philosophical thought. This Reader's Guide provides a detailed explanation of the work, breaking down the occasionally intimidating but always inspirational content of Totality and Infinity for non-specialist readers, unpacking the complexities of Levinas' thought with clarity and rigour. Ideal for students coming to Levinas for the first time, the book offers essential guidance, outlining key themes, approaches to reading the text, the reception, and influence of the work, and recommends secondary reading materials.

Table of Contents:
Table ofContents 1.Themes and Content 2.Reading the Text 3.Reception and Influence 4.Further Reading Bibliography Index

About the Author :
William Large is a Reader in Philosophy at University of Gloucestershire, UK. He is the author of Ethics and the Ambiguity of Writing: Emmanuel Levinas and Maurice Blanchot (2005), Maurice Blanchot [co-authored] (2001) and Heidegger's Being and Time (2007)

Review :
Students faced with the daunting task of reading Totality and Infinity have long awaited a lively and accessible commentary-and this is it. Large straightens out the warp and weft of Levinas's text with admirable brevity, clarity, and faithfulness. Large's guide deserves to be read by students and anyone with a serious interest in reading Levinas's most important philosophical work for the first time. Peter Atterton, San Diego State University, USA I can think of no better guide through the "thicket of difficulties" that is Levinas' Totality and Infinity than Will Large's book. This is a book that is engagingly written and straightforward, whilst also remaining alive to the nuance and complexity of Levinas' notoriously difficult text. Those embarking upon Levinas for the first time will find this book an invaluable introduction to the intrigue and fascination of Levinas' work. Meanwhile, those who are more familiar with Levinas' work may find that this refreshing and stimulating book opens up new questions for them, and helps them forge new pathways for the exploration of Levinas' ethics of responsibility. Will Buckingham, Reader in Writing and Creativity, De Montfort University, UK This reader's guide is a lucid, accessible way into an extremely difficult book, which offers the reader not only solid footing within Levinas's thinking but also occasional bridges into further philosophical discussions. Readers will appreciate patient explanation of his terminology, clear summaries of notoriously dense passages, and frequent reminders that many of Levinas's questions have also been the questions of other major thinkers, such Plato, Kant, Rosenzweig, and Heidegger. Jeffrey Bloechl, Department of Philosophy, Boston College, USA