Levinasian perspective of political value commitment: antidote to African emancipation

Abstract

This paper has the sole objective to critically examine the implications of Levinas’ ethics as applied political philosophy. This involves a critical examination of the concept of dialogue in African political value and African emancipation, from the purview of Levinas’ moral obligation as the debt we owe to the Other. Levinas’ ethics is the philosophy of Otherness; the humanism of the other human person. It is radical humanism or radical openness of our socio-political world. Freedom is not just the absence of impediments or constraints but obedience to the universal law of reason. This paper shall analyze the notions of Levinas’ political theory relative to the face of the other and the politics of difference and otherness. This paper appreciates and appropriates the deep logical insight offered by Levinas’ contemporary political philosophy into African emancipation, ethics, politics, African political value, the problems of the ethics of global peace which has been distorted by violence. Violence has been antithetical to global order and it disrupts the projects of our humanity. We have lose every sense of our humanity which has put our contemporary social world at a cross road. Africa, as a continent is not immune from the current global violence and crises facing the world. Levinas’ ethics is the ethics of the good life. Levinas’ ethics is ethical metaphysics and it reminds us of human moral universe; it reflects on the fact that we as humans are inextricably governed by the web of network of cosmic order and social order. Levinas’ ethics reveals the crucial importance of ethics, politics, history, culture to human society. Africa can learn from this Levinasian tradition of the cosmic network of social process.