Levinas & Buber: Dialogue & Difference

by Peter Atterton (Editor)

Emmanuel Levinas and Martin Buber -- considered by many the most important Jewish philosophers since the 12th century sage Maimonides -- knew each other as associates and friends. Yet although their dialogue was instructive at times, and demonstrated the esteem in which Levinas held Buber, in particular, their relationship just as often exhibited a failure to communicate. This volume of essays is intended to resume the important dialogue between the two. Thirteen essays by a wide range of scholars do not attempt to assimilate the two philosopher's respective views to each other. Rather, these discussions provide an occasion to examine their genuine differences -- difference that both Levinas and Buber agreed were required for genuine dialogue to begin.

325 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2004

Reviews

[Mered · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent anthology of essays about Martin Buber and Emmanuel Lévinas.
The book includes a variety of philosphers and important scholars, such as Maurice Friedman, Robert Bernasconi, Andrew Tallon and Richard A. Cohen.
In general, it's a very technical book (Friedman or Cohen are welcome exceptions).
The topics are vast: ethics, existencialism, Bible, animal rights, dialogue, the Other, Judaism and humanism.
I recommend it to every reader interesed in Jewish Philosophy, existencialism and the philosophies of dialogue.