The Metaphor of "the Infinite": Levinas on the Inspiration of Literature for Philosophy

This article explores Emmanuel Levinas' understanding of how literature can inspire philosophy when the "freedom in literature" is connected with "the elucidation of ethics". This article first discusses the importance of literature as the pre-philosophical experience in Levinas' thinking. Secondly, by reflecting on the constructive process of philosophical language, it explains why Levinas considered the history of philosophy to be a history where "the saying" (le Dit) is stifled by "the said" (le Dire). Thirdly, this article will analyze and compare the ethical significance of the literary style of philosophy and that of literature in order to elucidate why Levinas believed that philosophy needs "another modality". The fourth part of this article will focus on why Levinas believed that literature has a spirit of freedom in contrast to the conceptual thinking of philosophy. In conclusion, this article will establish the significance of "books" in Levinas' thinking, because they provide a milieu for speaking face to face with another person.