7

oHDSlIlHlI0H
rst pubshcd n ctobcr 4 &/,n thcHccucIht/osohtucdcLoucatn, //3 no. & 4 3
N,O W YL,3 an subscucnty ncorporatcd nto Autrcmcnt u'trc ou au-dc/ dc /'css
cncc, @ &ON transatcd nto Lngsh n 4&, 4 by Aphonso Lngs undcr thc tc
Othcmtsc thanBctngor BcondLsscncc) , ' Substtuton' lorms thc ccntra chaptcr ol
what s undoubtcdy Lcvnas' s most chacngng and ambtous work. n Othmtsc
than Bctng rcsponsbIty s a prc-orgna or an-archc lact . t cxsts pror to any act
through whch on mght assumc rcsponsbty lor a roc or acton, and cxtcnds
bcyond my dcath n ts mpcatons . Jhs nhntcy growng answcrabtIty movcs us
bcyond cvcn thc postons outIncd n 1ota/tq and In]ntt. Whcrcas thc attcr was
ststructurcd by thc phcnomcoogcatcrmsolsclandotcrwhcrcnthcrcams
olcnj oymcnt and dwcng arc loowcd by thc ratonshps wth thngs, thc cthca
dcnson to whch thc lcc gvcs rsc, and thc vouptuosty whch n turn can go
bcyond cthcs), Othcmtsc thanBctngbcgns wth ths ast ccmcnt. Jhc ntccctua
structurc ol ntcntonaty s prcccdcd by drcct scnsuous contact . t s not a
bcng-toward-dcath that condtons thc lorm ol thc book, but thc vcracty ol
sayng and unsayng whosc cxposurc s dcscrbcd drccty corporcaI tcrms, as an
act dcnudng tscl ol ts skn, a strppng bcyond nudty. nstcad ol ontoogca
phosophy, Lcvnas ollcrs a powcrlu and radcaI dscoursc tcrms ol 'othcsc
than bcng' bascd on a rcatonshp not wth dcath but wth atcrty. Jhc ongtna/
lorm ol opcnncss s thcrclorc my cxposurc to atcrty n thc lacc ol thc othcr.
tcraIy put myscl n thc pacc ol anothcr Morcovcr, ths substtuton s not an
abncgaton orcsponsbIty, but a passvty that bcars thc burdcn olcvcrythng lor
wh thc ohcr s rcsonsbc. bccomc a subj cct n thc physca scnsc ol bcng
hostagc to thc othcr. Jhc uncondtonaty ol ths rcsponsbty mcans that wc arc
aways arcady bcyond csscncc
Jwo cplu gudcs to Othcmtsc thanBctng can bc consutcd thc ntroducton to
thc Lngsh cdton ol thc work by Aphonso Lngs, and thc rcvcw by Adraan
cpcrzak, 'Bcyond bcng' Hcscarch tn Ihcomcno/o, , < &O,K 3 5.&| / acucs
Ocrrda has aso produccd a dccp and nvovcd rcadngolLcvnas n part nsprcd
by Othmtsc than Bctng n 'n cc momcnt mmc dans cct ovragc mc voc ' , n
1cxtcs our Lmmanuc Lcvtnas, cdtcd by rans Larucc ars can-Mchc
acc, &,LK3 p. 5 < W /L
S . .
x$3$$3g
tuCgc 8ud Ru8tChy
+
hD+B&
^h ^hD +
; 
n thc rcIattonhtp wtth bctngs, whch wc caII consctousncss, wc dcn
bcgs across thc dtspcrson oI stIhoucttcs tn whtch thcy appcar tn scI-
consctousncss wc dcntIy ourscIvcs across thc muIttptctty oI tcmporaI
phascs. ttsasthough subj ccttvcItIctn thcIormoIconsctousncss conststcd
bctng ttscI Iostng ttscIIand dtg ttscII agam so as to a]hh0hh Fu0R;by
showtng tcII propostng tscII as a thcmc, cxpostng ttscII tn tuth. Jhs
tdcntcatton ts not thc )]vXl0f&cloIany tmagc tt ts a cIatm oIthc mtnd,
procIamatton, saytng, kcrygma. ut t ts not at aII arbttrary, and cnsc-
gucntIy dcpcnds on a mystcrous opcratton oI schcmattsm, tn Ianguagc,
whtch canakc an tdcaItty corrcspond to thc dtspcrston oI aspccts and
tmagcs, sthoucttcs or phascs. 1o bccomc consctous oI a bcmg s thcn
aIways Io tht bcmg to bc graspcd across an tdcaIt and on thc basts oIa
satd Lcn an cmptrtcaI , ndtvtduaI bcng ts roachcd across thc tdcaItty o
Iogos. Subj ccttvtty bv& conscousncss can thus bc tntrprctcd as thc arttcu-
IattonoIanontoIogtcaIcvcnt, asoncoIthcmstcrtouswaystnwhtchtts 'act
oIbctng' ts dcpIoycd. ctga thcmc, bctngtntcIItgtbIc or opcn, posssstng
oncscII, thc momcnt oI E&yFXC X - aII tha ts arttcuIatcd tn thc
movcmcnoIcsscncc, Iostng ttscIand ndtng ttscIIout oIan tdcaI prtnct-
pIc, an
2
e tn tts hcmattc cxpostton, bctng thus carrtcs on tts aIIatr oI
bctng. Jhc dctour oI tdcaItty Icads to cotncdtng wth oncscII, that s, to
ccatnty, wc rcmatns thc gutdc and guarantcc oI thc whoIc sptrttuaI
advcnturc oI bctng. ut thts ts why thts advcnturc s no advcnturc. t ts
ncvcr dangcros t s scII-posscsson, sovcrcgntty, j Anythng n-
own thatcanoccurtottsm advanccdscIoscd, opc, manIcst, tscasttn
thc moId oIthc known, and cannot bc a compctc surprsc.
lor thc phIosophca tradton oI thc Wcst, aI sprttuaty cs t con-
sctousncss, thcmatc cxposttton oIbctng, owng.
nstarttngwthscnsbtttyntcrprctcd notasa knowtngbutas proxtmtty,
V scckng n Ianguagc contact and scnsbty, bchtnd thc ctrcuIaton oI
tnIormattn t bccomcs, wc havc cndcavourcd to dcscrbc subj ccttvty as
trcducbIc to consctousncss and thcmattzatton. roxmty appcars as thc
rcIattonshp wth thc othcr, who cannot bc rcsoIvcd nto 'magcs' or bc
cxposcd n a thcmc. t s thc rcatonshp wth what s not dsproporttonatc
to thc
2
tn thcmatzatton, buttncommcnsurabIcwtth tt, wthwhatdocs
not dcrvc ts tdcnttty Irom thc kcrygmattc Iogos, and bocks aII schcmat-
tsm.
_4 Irom cxtstcncc to cthtcs
ot abc to stay n a thcmc, not abc to appcar, ths nvsbty whch
bccomcs contact and obscsson s duc not to thc nonsgnlyngncss olwhat
s approachcd, but to a way ol sgnlyng gutc dllcrcnt lr that whch
connccts cxposton to sght. Hcrc, bcyond vsbty thcrc s cxposcd no
sgnhcaton that woud st bc thcmatzcd n ts sgn. t s thc vcry trans-
ccndngcharactcrstcolths bcyond that ssgnhcaton. Sgnhcatonsthc
contradctory tropc ol thc-onc-lorthc-othcr. Jhc-onc-lorthc-othcr s not
a ack ol mtuton, but thc surpus ol rcsponsbty. My rcsponsbty
lor thc othcr s thc ]or ol thc rcatonshp, thc vcry sgnlyngncss ol
sgnhcaton,whchsgnhcsnsayngbclorcshowngtscln thcsad. Jhc-
onc-lor-thc-othcr s thc vcry sgnlyngncss ol sgnmcaton t s no that
thc `bcyond' woud bc ` lurthcr' than cvcrythng that appcars, or ` prcscnt
m abscncc' , or ` shown by a symbo' , that woud st bc to bc subj cct to a
prncpc, to bc gvcn n conscousncss. Hcrc what s csscnta s a rclusa to
aowoncscltobc tamcd ordomcstcatcdbya thcmc. Jhc movcmcnt gong
`bcyond' oscs ts own sgnlyngncss and bccomcs anmmancnccas soon as
ogos ntcrpcatcs, nvcsts, prcscnts and cxposcs t,whcrcas ts adj accncyn
proxtty s an absoutc cxtcrorty. ncommcnsurabc wth thc prcscnt,
unasscmbabc n t, t s aways ` arcady n thc past bchnd whch thc
prcscnt dcays, ovcrand bcyond thc `now' whch ths cxtcrortydsturbsor
obscsscs. Jhs way olpassng,dsturbng thcprcscntwthoutaowngtscl
to bc nvcstcd by thc 6

olconscousncss, stratng wth ts lurows thc

carty ol thc ostcnsbc, s what wc havc cacd a tracc.
'
roxtty s thus
anarrhtra// a rcatonshp wth a snguarty wthout thc mcdaton ol any
prncpc, any dcaty. What concrctcy corrcsponds to ths dcscrpton s
myrcatonshpwthmy ncghbour, a sgnlyngncsswhchsdhcrcntlrom
hc much-dscusscd `mcanng-cndowcnt ' , sncc sgnhcaton s ths vcry
rcatonshp wth thc othcr, thc-onclor-thcothcr Jhs ncocnsurabty
wth conscousncss, whch bccomcs a tracc olthc uho knous uhcrc, s not
thc nollcnsvc rcatonshp ol knowng m whch cvcrythng s cguazcd,
nor thc ndllcrcncc ol spata contguty, t s an assgnaton ol mc by
anothcr, a rcsponsbty wth rcgard to mcn wc do not cvcn know. Jhc
rcatonshp olproxmty cannot bc rcduccd to any modaty oldstancc or
gcomctrca contguty, nor to thc smpc `rcprcscntaton' ola ncghbour, t
s arcady an assgnaton, an cxtrcmcy urgcnt assgnaton an obgaton,
anachronousy pror to any commttmcnt . Jhs antcrorty s `odcr' than
thca pror . Jhs lormuacxprcsscs a wayolbcmgahcctcdwhch canm no
waybcnvcstcdbyspontancty thc subjcctsallcctcd wthout thcsourccol
thc allccton bccommg a thcmc ol rcprcscntaton. Wc havc cacd ths
rcatonshp rrcducbc to conscousncss obscsson. Jhc rcatonshp wth
cxtcrorty s ` pror' to thc act that woud cllcct t . or ths rcIatonshp s
not an act , not a thcmatzng, not a poston n thc tchtcan scnsc. Not
5u0stttutton
cvcrythng that s n conscousncss would bc postcd by conscousncss -
contrary to thc proposton that sccmcd to chtc to bc lundamcnta .
Obscsson s rrcducblc to conscousncss, cvcn l t ovcrwhcms t. n
conscousncss t s bctraycd, but thcmatzcd by a sad n whch t s ma-
lcstcd. Obscsson travcrscs conscousncss countcrcurrcntwsc, s nscrbcd
n conscousncss as somcthng lorcgn, a dscgubrum, a dclrum. t un-
docs thcmataton, and cscapcs anynnrt/c, orgn, w, or 9
BF
:
d
whch
arc put lorth n cvcry ray ol conscousncss. Jhs movcmcnt s, n thc
orgnalscnsc olthc tcrm, anarchcal. Jhus obscsson can nowsc b takcn
as a hypcrtrophy olconscousncss .
But anarchy s not dsordcr as opposcd to ordcr, as thc cclpsc olthcmcs
s not, ass sad, a rcturn to a dllusc `hcd ol conscousncss' pror to
attcnton. Osordcr s but anothcr ordcr, and what s dllusc s thcmatz-
ablc. Aarchy troublcs bcng ovcr and bcyond thcsc atcrnatvcs. t brngs
to a hat thc ontoogca pay whch, prccscly ua play, s conscousncss,
whcrc bcn s lost and loundagan, and thusllumnatcd. n thc lormolan
cg, anachronousy dc/acd bchnd ts prcscnt momcnt, and unabc to
rccupcrtc ths dcay - hat s, n thc lorm ol an cgo unabc to conccvc
what s ` touchng' t, thc asccdancy o thc othcr s cxcrcscd upon thc
34
4
samc to thc pont ol ntcrruptng t, cavng t spccchlcss. Anarchy
pcrsccuton. Obscsson s a pcrsccuton whcrc thc pcrsccuton docs not
makc upthccontcntola conscousncssgoncmad, tdcsgnatcsthclorm n
whch thccgo s allcctcd, a lorm whch s a dclcctng lrom conscousncss .
Js nvcrsonolconscousncss s nodoubta pssvty- but t s a passvty
bcncath al passvty. t cannot bc dchncd n tcrms ol ntcntonalty,
whcrc undcrong s always also an assumng, that s, an cxpcrcncc always
antcpatcd and conscntcd to, alrcady an orgn and 9
BF
:
h Jo bc
surc, thc ntcntonalty ol conscousncss docs not dcsgnatc voluntary
ntcnton ony. ct t rctans thc ntatng and mcohatvc pattcrn ol
voluntary ntcnton. Jhc gvcn cntcrs nto a thought whch rccognzcs n
tornvcststwthtsownproj cct, andthuscxcrcscsmastcryovcrt. What
ahccts a conscousncss prcscnts tsclat a dstancc lrom thc hrst, manlcsts
tscll a pror lrom thc hrst, s rcprcscntcd, docs not knock wthout
announcngtscl, lcavcs, across thc ntcrval olspacc and tmc, thc csurc
ncccssary lor a wclcomc. What s rcalzcd n and by ntcntona conscous-
ncss ollcrs tscllto protcnton anddvcrgcslrom tsclm rctcnton, so asto
bc, across thc dvcrgcncy, dcnthcd and posscsscd. Jhs play n cng s
conscousncss tscl prcscncc to scllthrough a dstancc, whchs both loss
olsclland rccovcry n truth. Jhc]or tuc/] nconscousncsssthus thcvcry
powcr whch a bcng cxcrcscs upon tscll, ts wll , ts sovcrcgnty. bcng
s cgual to tsclland s nposscsson oltscln ths lrm, donton s @
conscousncssassuch. Hcgc thought that thcasbutconscouscssmstr
From cxutccc tc cthics
ng tcII n cII-cguaIty, n what hc ca ` thc Irccdom oI th ntc
cguaIty'
Jhc obcon wc havc ccn n proxmty coct wth th Hgurc oI a
bcng pocng tcIn an cguaIty, th bcmg 6i How can thc pav-
tty oIobcon Hnd a pacc n concounc, whch whoy, or n thc
cnd, Irccdom? or n concounc cvcrythng mtcntonaIy aumcd.
Loncounc whoIycguaItycguaItyoIcIIwth cII, but aIo cguaty
that Ior concounc rcponbIty aIway trcty mcaurcd by Ircc-
dom, and thu away Imtcd) . How n concounc can thcrc bc an
undcrgong or a paon whoc actvc ourcc doc not , m any way, occurn
concounc? Jh cxtcrorty ha to bc cmpazcd. t t not ob| ccttvc or
pataI , rccupcrabc n mmancncc and thu IaIng undr thc ordcr oI-
and nthc ordcr oI- concounc, t obconaI, non-thcmatzabIcand,
n thc cnc wc havc j ut dccd, anarchc.
t n a rsponsttt/tg |hc| ts ]us|t]d t] no pror rommt|mn|, thc
rcponbtyIoranothcr- n an cthcaI tuaton- that thc mc-ontoIogtcaI
and mctaIogca tructurc oIth anarchy takc Iorm, undong thc Iogo
whch thc apoogy by whch conctouc awa rcgan t cII-contro ,
and comand, ncrtcd. Jh paon abolutc n that t takc hod
wthout any a pror . Jhc concounc aIIcctc, thcn, bcIorcIormngan
magc oIwhat comng to t , acctcd n ptc oItcI. n thcc trat wc
rccognzc a pcrccuton, bcn cacd mto gucton pror to guctonng,
rcponbty ovcr and bcyond thc Iogo oI rcponc. t a though
pcrccuton by anothcr wcrc at thc bottom oIodarty wth anothcr. Hw
can uch a paon tac pacc and havc t tmc concounc?
"H>"3"N
but concounc, knowng oIonccIIby onccI, not aI thcrc to thc
noton oIubj cctvty. t aIrcady rct on a `ubj cctvc condton' , an dcnt
ty that onc ca cgo or . t truc that, whcn ag about thcmcanngoI
th dcntty, wc hac thc habt cthcr oIdcnouncng m t a rcLcd ubt
ancc, or oIHndng n t oncc agan thc Ior-tcII oI concounc. n thc
traonaI tcachng oI dcaIm, ubjcct and concounc arc cguvacnt
conccpt. Jhc hcor thc arc not cvcn upcctcd. Jh onc a nonrcIa
ton, but aboutcIy a tcrm. ct th tcrm oI an rrcvcrb atgnaton t
pcrhapdmuIatcd, undcrthcoutdatcdnotonoIthcou. ta tcrmnot
rcducbIc to a rcaton, but yct n rccurrcncc. Jhc cgo m ttcIIIc a
ound that woud rcound n t own ccho, thc nodc oIa wavc whtch tnot
oncc agam concounc. hc tc n rccurrcncc wII bc ought hcrc
bcyondoronthchthcrdcoIconcouncandttpay, bcyondoronthc
hthcrdc oIbcngwhch t thcmatzc,outdc Ibcng, and thu n tcI
[&
as n cxc. t w bc lound undcr thc cllcct olancxpuson, whosc postvc
mcannghas to bc cxpcatcd. ndcrthc cllcctolsuchancxpusonoutsdc
olbcng, sntscl. Jhcrcscxpusonnthattassgnsmc bclorc show
myscl, bclorc sct myscl up. am assgncd thout rccoursc, wthout
lathcrand, arcady scnt back to myscl, but wthout bcng abc to stay
thcrc, compccd bclorc commcncng Nothng hcrc rcscmbcs scl-con-
scousncss. t has mcanng ony as an upsurgc n mc ol a rcsponsbuty
prorto commtmcnt, that s, a rcsponsbtylorthc othcr. Jhcrc amonc
and rrcpaccabc, onc nasmuch as rrcpaccabc n rcsponsbtty. Jhs s
hc uncrsdc ol a larc wovcn whcrc thcrc s conscousncss and hch
takcs pacc n bcng.
Nothng hcrc rcscmbcs scl-conscousncss Jhc rcducton olsubj ccttvty
to conscouscss omnatcs phuosophca thought, whch stncc Hcgc has
bcn tryng to ovcrcomc thc duaty olbcng and thought , by dcntlyng,
undcr dllcrcnt hgurcs, substancc and subjcct . Jhts aso amouts to un-
dong thc substantvty ol substancc, but n rcatonshp wth scl-con-
scousncss. Jcsuccssvcandprogrcssvc dscosurc olbcngtotsclwoud
bcproduccdnphosophy nowng,thc ds-covcrng, wounotbcaddcd
on to thc bcng ol cnttcs, to csscncc Bcmg' s csscncc carrcs on kc a
vgancc cxcrcscd wthout rcsptc on ths vcry vgancc, kc a cl-
posscsson hosophy whch statcs csscncc as an ontoogy, concudcs thts
csscncc, ths ucdty ol ucdty, by ths ogos. Lonscousncss lus thc
bcng olcnttcs or Sartrc aslorHcgc , thc oncsclspostcd on thc bass
olthc lor-tscl. Jhc dcnttyolthc woud thus crcducbctothc turnng
back olcsscncc upon tscl. Jhc , or thc oncsclthat woud sccm to bc ts
subjcct or condton, thc oncscl takng on thc hgurc ol an cntty among
cnttcs, woud n truth bc rcducc to an abstracton takcn lrom thc
concrctc proccss ol scl-conscousncss, or lrom thc cxposton ol bcng n
hstory or n thc strctchng out ol tmc, n whch, across brcaks and
rccovcrcs, bcng shows tscl to tscl. Jmc, csscncc, csscncc as tmc,
oud bc thc absouc tscln thc rcturn to scl. Jhc mutpctyoluntguc
subjccts, cnttcs mmcdatcy, cmprcay, cncountcrcd, woud procccd
lrom ths unvcrsa scl-conscousncssolthc Mnd bts oldust cocctcd by
tts movcmcnt or drops ol swcat gstcnng on ts lorchcad bccausc ol thc
abourolthcncgatvc twhavcaccompshcd. Jhcywoud bclorgcttabc
omcntsolwhchwhat countssony mcrdcnttcsduc to thcrpostuons
n thc systcm, whch arc rcabsorbcd nto mc whoc olthc systcm.
Jhc rcHccton on oncsclpropcr to consctousncss, thc go pcrcctvng mc
scl, s not c thc antcccndcnt rccurrcncc ol mc oncscl, mc oncncss
wtthout y duaty oloncscl, lrom thc hrst backcd u agatnst ttscIl, up
agsta wa , ortwtstcdovcrtscltntss, oo ttght ttss,tnttscIl
arcady outsdc ol ttsc ts rcstcssncss aso docs not concy dtspcrston
T rrgr rg
mtophascs, cxtcror to onc anothcr, na Hux olmmancnt tmc nthcHus-
scran scnsc, rctanng thc pastandbtmgon thc luturc. Jhc oncscls not
thcdcapocolandcntcatonacrossthcmutcpctyolpsychcshouct-
tcs kcrygmatcay procamcd to bc thc samc by vrtuc ol a mystcrous
schcmatsm ol dscoursc. Jhc oncscl docs not bcar ts dcntty as cn-
ttcs,dcntcanthatthcyarcsadwthoutbcngunsad,andthusarcthcma-
tzcdandappcartoconscousncss .Jhcuncanccabcrccurrcnccolthconcscl
m thc subjcct spror to any dstnctonbctwccnmomcntswch coud prc-
sct thcmscvcs to a synthcszng actvty ol dcntcaton and asscmbagc
to rcca or cxpcctaton. Jhc rccurrcncc ol thc oncscl s not rcaxcd and
ghtcd up agam, umnatmg tsclthcrcby c conscousncss whch ghts
up by ntcrruptng tscl and hndng tscl agan m thc tcmpora pay ol
rctcntons and protcntons. Jhc oncscl docs not cntcr nto that pay ol
cxpo smgs and dssmuatonswhch wc ca a phcnomcnon or phcnomcno
ogy, lorthc appcarmgola phcnomcnon s arcadya dscoursc . Jhc oncscl
takcs rclugc or s cxucd n ts own luncss, to thc pont o cxposon or
hsson, m vcw oltsown rcconsttuton n thclorm olan dcnttydcntcd
m thc sad. crbs, posscssvc adj cctvcs and thc syntactc hgurcs onc woud
kc to usc to dsartcuatc thc snguar torson or contracton olthc oncscl
bcar arcady thc mark o th oncsc, o ths torson, ths contracton, ths
hsson. Jhat s pcrhaps aso thc mcanng o cbnz' mystcrous lormua,
thc cgo s nnatc to tscl. ' Jhc scl mvovcd n mantanng oncscl, osng
oncsclor hndng oncscl agan s not a rcsut , but thc vcry matrx ol thc
rcatons or cvcnts that thcsc pronoma vcrbs cxprcss. Jhc cvocaton ol
matcrnty m ths mctaphor suggcsts to us thc propcr scnsc ol thc oncscl.
Jhc oncsclcannot lorm tscl, t s arcady lormcd wth absoutc passvty.
n ths scnsc t s thc vctm ola pcrsccuton that parayzcs any assumpton
that coud awakcn n t, so that t woud post tscl}tscl. Jhs passvty
s tha olan attachmcnt that has arcady bccn madc, as somcthng rrcvcrs-
by past, pror to a mcmory and a rcca . t was madc n an rrccupcr-
abc tmc whch thc prcscnt , rcprcscntcd m rcca , docs not cgua , m a
tmc o brth or crcaton, ol whch naturc or crcaton rctams a tracc, un-
convcrtbc nto a mcmory. Kccurrcncc s morc past than any rcmcmbcr-
abc past , any past convcrtbc nto a prcscnt. Jhc oncscl s a crcaturc,
but an orphan b brth or an athcst no doubt gnorant olts Lrcator, lor l
tkncwt t woudaganbctaknguptscocnccmcnt . Jhc rccurrcnccol
thc oncsclrclcrs to thc hthcr sdc ol thc prcscnt n whch cvcry dcntty
dcntcd m thc sad s consttutcd. t s arcady consttutcd whcn thc act
ol consttuton hrst orgnatcs . But n ordcr that thcrc bc produccd n
thc drawng out ol csscncc, commg out kc a coourcss thrcad lrom thc
dstall ol thc argucs , a brcak n thc samc, thc nostaga lor rcturn, thc
hunt lor thc samc and thc rccovcrcs , and thccarty n whchconscousncss
S5g [
pIay, n ordcr that th dvcrgcncy Irom cII and th rccapturc bc pro-
duccd, thc rctcnton and protcnton by wch cvcry prccnt a rc
prccntaton- bchndaIIthcartcuIatonoIthccmovcmcntthcrcmutbc
thc rccrrcncc oIthc onccII. hc dcIourc oIbcng to tcII Iurk thcrc.
thcrwcccncc, cxoncratcd bytcII, conttutcd n mmancnt tmc, wI
pot onIy mdccrnIc pont, whch wouId, to bc urc, bc togcthcr, but
whch wouId nthcr bIock nor IuIHII any Iatc. Nothng wouId makc tcI.
hc brcakup oI` ctcrnaI rct' by tmc, m whch bcng bccomc concou-
ncandcIIconcouncbycguaIIngtcIIaItcrthcbrcakup,prcuppoc
thconccII. oprccnt thc knot oIpcty n thc traghtthrcadotccncc
accordtng to thc modcI oI thc tntcnttonaIty oI thc Ior-ttcII, or a thc
cpcnnc oI rchccton upon onccII, to pot a ncw pcty bchnd thc
pcty onc wouI Ikc to rcducc.
c onccIIha not tucdIrom tt ownntttattvc, atcIamtnthcpIay
andHrcolconcouncon thcwayto thcuntyoIandca. nthatdca,
concdng wtth tcIl, Ircc tnamuch a t t a totaIty whch Icavc nothg
cutdc, and th, IuIIy rcaonabc, thc onccII pott ttcII a an aIway
convcrtbc tcrm n a rcatcn, a cII-concounc. but thc onccI
hypotacd n anothcrway. ttboundn aknotthatcannotbcundoncn
a rcponbtIy Ior cthcr. ht t an anarchc pot, Ior t t ncthcr thc
undcrtdc oI a lrccdom, a Ircc commttmcnt udcrtakcn n a prccnt or a
pat that couId bc rcmcmbcrcd, nor avc' aItcnaton, dcptc thc gctaton
cIthc othcrtn thc amc, whch tht rcponbIty Iorthc othcr gnhc. n
thc cxpourc to wound and outragc, tn thc IccItng propcr to rcpon-
btItty, thc onccII provokcd a rrcpIaccabIc, a dcvotcd to thc othcr,
wtthout bctng abIc to rctgn, and thu a tncarnatcd tn ordcr tooIIcr tcII,
tc uIIcr and to gtvc. t t thu onc andntguc, n pavt Irom thc tart,
avtn nothng at tt dtpoaI that wouId cnabIc tt to not ycId to thc
provocatton. t onc, rcduccd to ttcIIand a t wcrc contractcd, cxcIIcd
tntotcIIouttdcoIbcng. hccxtIcorrcIugctntcIIthcutcondtton
cr upport, Iar Irom thc abundant covcr and cxcuc whtch thc ccnc
cxhbttcdtn thcatdoIIcr. nrcponbItyaoncagncdorcIcctcdIrom
thc outdc, agncd a rrcpIaccabIc, thc ubj cct accucd n t kn, too
ttghtIort kn. Lutttng acro cvcryrcIaton, tt an tndvduaI unItkc an
cntty that can bc dcgnacd a d d nIc, that , thc ad dcvc
Irom thc untucnc oIthc onccIIagncd nrcponbttythc tdcaIty
ncccary Ior dcnttHcaton oIthc dvcrc, bywhch, n thc amphtboogy oI
bctng and cnttttc, an cntty gnuc Jhc hypotat t cxpocd a onccI
n thc accuatvc Iorm, bcIorc appcarng m thc ad propcr to knowtng a
thcbcarcr oIa namc. Jhcmctaphor oIa ound thatwoud bcautbc onIy
n t cco mcant to approach t way oIprccnttng onc' patty a an
undcrtdc wthout a rtght tdc.
T oogo og
ror to thc rcturn totcIIpropcr to concounc, th hypota, whcn
t how tcII, doc o undcr thc borrowcd mak oI bcng. Jhc cvcnt n
whch th unty or ungucnc I thc hypota brought out not thc
grapng oI cII n conctounc. t an agnaton to anwcr wthout
cvaon, whch agn thc cII to bc a cII. ror to thc pIay oI bcng,
bcIorc thc prccn, oIdcr than thc tmc oIconcounc that acccbIc n
mcmory, nt `dccpyorc, ncvcr rcmotccnough' , thconccIIcxpocdaa
hypota, oIwhch thc bcng t a an cntty but a mak. t bcar t
namca a borrowcd namc, a pcudonym, a pro-noun. n tcII, thc onccII
thc onc or thc unguc cparatcd Irom bcng.
Jhc onccII propcr to concounc thcn not agan a concounc,
but a tcrm n hypotat. t by th hypota that thc pcron, a an
dcntty unutHabIc by tcII and n th cnc cmprcaI or contngcnt,
cmcrgc ubtantvcIy n ttancc t rctant to thc croon oItmcan
htory, that , truckbya dcathaIway voIcnt and prcmaturc Andcntty
pror to thc Ior-tcII, t not thc rcduccd or gcrmnaI modcI oI thc
rcIatonhp oI onccII wth onccII that cognton . Ncthcr a von oI
onccIIbyonccII,nora manIctatonoIonccIItoonccII,thconccIIdoc
not concdc wth thc dcntIyng oI truth, not tatabIc n tcrm oI
concounc, dcourc and ntcntonaIty. Jhc unj utuabIc dcntty oI
pcty cxprccd n tcrm uch a cgo, , nccII, and, th work am to
howthroughout, tartng wth thc ou, cnbIty, Incrabty, matcrn
ty and matcraIty, whch dccrbc rcponbIty Ior othcr. Jhc `IuIcrum'
n whch th turnng oIbcng back upon tcIIwhch wc caII owng or
mnd produccd thu dcgnatc thc nguIaty par cxccIIcncc. t can
ndccd appcar m an ndrcct Ianguagc, undcr a propcr namc, a an cntty,
and thu put tcII on thc cdgc oI thc gcncraIty charactcrtc oIaII ad,
and thcrc rcIcr to ccncc. but t rt a non-guddty, no onc, cIothcd
wth purcIy borrowcd bcng, whch mak t namcIc mguarty by con
Icrrng on t a roIc. Jhc Iocu oI upport Ior thc mnd a pcronaI
ponoun. I thc rcturn to cII propcr to cognton, thc orgnaI truth oI
bcng, concounc, can bc rcazcd, t bccauc a rccurrcncc oIpcty
ha

rcady bccn produccd.J an nvcron n thc pocc oIccncc, a

wthdrawng Irom thc gamc that bcng pIay n concounc. t a
wthdrawa-n-onccI whch an cxIc n onccII, wthout a Ioundaton n
anythng cIc, a non-condton Jh wthdrawaI cxcIudc aII pontancty,
and thu aIway aIrcady cIIcctcd, aIrcady pat. pcty t not an abtract
pont, thc ccntrc oI a rotaton, dcntHabIc o thc ba oI thc traj cctory
traccd by th movcmcnt oI concounc, but a pont aIrcady dcntc
Irom thc outdc, not havng to dcntIy tcIIn thc prccnt nor to tatc t
dcntty, aIrcady oIdcr than thc ttmc oIconcounc.
Jhc dcntty arcady rcazcd, thc `Iact' or thc `arcady donc' that thc

cncsclccntrbutcstcccnsccusncssandkncwng, dccsnctrclcr mythcally
tc a duratcn prc tc duratcn, tc a labrc that wculd stll bclccsc cncugh
sc as tc pcrmt thc hcxcn upcn cncscllclthc lcr-tscll. Jhc lcr-tsclls a
tcrscn rrcducblc tc thc bcatng cl scll-ccnsccusncss, thc rclaxng and
rcccvcrngprcpcrtcthcsamc. Jhccncscllccmcslrcm apastthatccudnct
bc rcmcmbcrcd, nct bccausc t sstuatcdvcrylarbchnd, butbccausc thc
cncscll, nccmmcnsurablc wth ccnsccusncss whch s always cqual tc
tscll, snct 'madc' lcr thc prcscnt . Jhc cncscll, anncqualtywth tscll, a
dchctn bcng, apassvtycrpatcnccand, ntspassvtynctcllcrngtscll
tc mcmcry, nct allcctng rctrcspcctvc ccntcmplatcn, s n ths scnsc
undcclnablc, wth an undcclnabty whch s nct that cla purc actualty.
t s thc dcntty clthc smgular, mcdmcd cnly n thc crcscn clagcng, n
thc pcrmancnc cl a lcss cl scll. t s unsayabc, and thus unj ustmablc.
1hcsc ncgatvc qualhcatcnsclthc suj cctvtyclthc cncsclldc nct ccnsc-
cratc scmc ncllablc mystcry, but ccnhrm thc prcsynthctc, prc-lcgcal
and n a ccrtan scnsc atcmc, that s, n-dvdual, unty clthc scll, whch
prcvcnts t lrm splttng, scparatngtsclllrcmtscllsc as tc ccntcmplatc
crcxprcsstscll,and thus shcw tscll, lcnlyundcra ccc mask, tcnamc
tscllcthcrwschan bya prc-ncun. Jhsprcvcntcns thc pcstvtyclthc
cnc. ts a ccrtanscnsc atcmc, lcr t swthcutanyrcstn tscl, ' mcrc
andmcrc cnc' , tc thc pcnt clbrcakup, hsscn, cpcnncss. Jhat ths unty
bc a tcrscn and a rcstcssncss, rrcducblc tc thc lunctcn that thc cncscll
cxcrcscs n thc cntclcgy acccmplshcd by ccnsccusncss, whch, by thc
cncsct, cpcratcs ts turnng back cvcr tscll, prcscnts a prcblcm. t s as
thcugh thc atcmc unty clthc subjcct wcrc cxpcscd cutsdc by brcathng,
by dvcstng ts ultmatc substancc cvcn tc thc muccus mcmbranc clthc
lungs, ccntnually splttng up.
Jhc cncscll dccs nct rcst n pcacc undcr ts dcntty, and yct ts rcslcss-
ncss s nct a dacctcal scsscn, ncr a pcccss cualzng llcrccc. ts
unty s nct j ust ddcd cn tc scmc ccntcnt cl pscty lkc thc ndctc
artclcwhchsubstantmcscvcnvcrbs, 'ncmnalzng' andthcmatzngthcm.
crc thc unty prcccdcs cvcryartclcandcvcryprcccss,ts scmchc tscll
thcccntcnt . Kccurrcnccsbutan'cutdcng' clunty. Asa untym tslcrm
nd n ts ccntcnt, thc cncscll s a sngularty, prcr tc thc dstnctcn
bctwccn thc partcular and thc unvcrsal . t s, lcnc lkcs, a rcatcshp,
but cnc whcrc thcrc s nc dsjunccn bctccn thc tcs hcld n rclatcn-
shp, a rclatcnshp that s nct rcducblc tc an ntcntcnal cpcnncss upcn
cncscll, dccs nct purcly and smplyrcpcat ccnscusncss m whch bcng s
athcrcdup,asthcscagathcrsupthcwavcsthatwashthcshcrc. Jhccgcs
nctntsclllkcmattcrwhch, pcrlcctlycspcuscdbyts lcrm, swhatts,
t s n tscll lkc cnc s n cnc's skn, that s, alrcady tght, ll at
casc n cnc' s cwn s. t s as thcugh thc dcntty cl mattcr rcstng n
1'> cxistcncc tc cthics
tclI conccacd a dmcnon n whch a rctrcat to thc hthcr dc oI m-
mcdatc concdcncc wcrc pobc, conccacd a matcraty morc matcra
than a mattcr a matcraty uch that rrtabty, uccptblty or
cpocdnc to wound and outragc charactcrzc t pavty, morc
pavc t than thc pavty oIcIIcct atcrnty n thc complctc bcng
'Ior thc othcr' whch charactcrzc t, whch thc vcry gnIyngnc
oI gncaton, thc utmatc cnc oI th vuncrabty Jh hthcr
dcoIcntty not rcducbc to thc Ior-tcI, whcrc, bcyond t mmcd
atc dcntty, bcng rccognzc tcIn t dIIcrcncc. Wc avc to Iormuatc
what thc rrcmbty and, n thc ctyoogca cc oI thc tcr, thc
anguh oIthn-tcIoIthconccIarc. Jhanguhnot thc cxtcnta
'bcng-Iordcath' , but thc contrcton oI an ` cntry nward' , or thc ' hthcr
dc' oI a ctcnon. t not a ght nto thc vod, but a movcmcnt nto
Iunc, thc anguh oI contracton and brcakup. 'Jh dccrbc thc rca
ton n whch a ubcct mmoatcd wthout hccngtcI, wthout cntcrng
nto cctay, wthout takmg a dtancc Irom tcI, n whch t purucd
nto tcI, to thc hthcr dc oIrct n tcI, oIt concdcncc wth tcI.
Jh rccurrcncc, whch onc can, to bc urc, ca ncgatvty but a ncgatvty
antcccdcnt to dcourc, thc uncxccptonabc homcand oIdacctca ncga-
tvty) , th rccurrcncc by contracton, thc cII.
t thc ncgatvty caractcrtc oI thc tn ttsl] wthout thc opcnnc oI
nothngnc, pcnctratng nto thc pcnum tn ttsl] n thc cnc oI cn stch
and tn strh. t lc bchnd thc dtnton bctwccn rct and movcmcnt,
bctwccn thc bcng at homc wth onccI ,chz sot) and wandcrng, bctwccn
cguaty and dIIcrcncc. Jh ncgatvty rcnd u oIthc Iormua oIthc
Icmntds conccrnng thc momcnt n whch thc nc ' bcng n
moton t comc to a tand, or bcng at rct , ) changc to bcng n
moton, ' and n whch t `mut not bc at any tmc' I 56cc) . 'Jh trangc
ort oInaturc' whch ' tuatcd bctwccn moton and rct' 5d) ' not a
cro-ccton oItmc at a pont that prccrvc dynamcay, n potncy, thc
ontradcton bctwccn thc prccnt and thc Iuturc or thc pat. or t an
cxtratcmpora dcaty whch domnatc tcmpora dpcron, Ior both
pontand dcaItcm thcrownwayprcuppoc thcontoogca advcnturc.
Jh ' trangc ort oI naturc' omcthng on thc hthcr dc, wthout any
rcIcrcncctothcmatzaton, wthoutcvcn rcIcrcncc torcIcrcnccrngn t,
kc 'tch' , wtout any dalcctcal gcrmnaton, gutc tcrc and purc, com-
pctcy cut oII Irom advcnturc and rcmnccncc. o ground non-lta),
mcanwhc orcontra-tcmpo tmc orbad tmc ,mclhar)), t on mchthcr
sdc oIbcng and oIthc nothngnc whch thcmatzabc kc bcng.
hc cxprcon ' n onc' kn' nota mctaphor Ior thcn-tcI, trcIcr
to a rccurrcncc n thc dcad tmc or thc mcnuhtl whch scparatc npra-
ton and cxpraton, thc datoc and ytoc oI thc hcart bcatg duy
$G$
aganst thcwasolonc' sskn. Jhcbodysnotonyanmagcorhgurchcrc,
ts thc dstnctvc noncsclolthc contracton olpscty and ts brcakup ( ( 4
hs contracton s not an mpossbty to lorgct oncscl, to dctach oncscl
lrom oncscl, n thc conccrn lor oncscl. t s a rccurrcncc to oncsclout ol
an rrccusabc cxgcncy ol thc othcr, a duty ovcrHowng my bcng, a duty
bccomngadcbtandancxtrcmcpassvtyprorto thctranguty, stgutc
catvc, n thc ncrta and matcraty ol thngs at rcst t s a rcstcssncss
andpatcnccthatsupportprorto actonandpasson Hcrcwhatsducgocs
bcyond havng, but makcs gvng possbc Jhs rccurrcncc s ncarnaton.
nt thc body whch makcs gvng possbcmakcsoncowthoutacnat-
ng. or ths othcr s thc hcart , and thc goodncss, olthc samc, thc nsra-
ton or thc vcry psychc n thc sou
Jc rccurrcncclpscty, thc ncarnaton, lar lrom thckcnngandtumc-
lyng thc sou, opprsscs t and contracts t and cxoscs t nakcd to thc
othcrto thc pnt olmakng thc subjcctcxposcts vcry cxposcdncss, whch
mght coakt othc pontolmakngtanuncovcrngolsclnsayng. Jhc
conccptolthcnarnatc subjcct snota boogcaconccpt. Jhcschcmathat
corporcaty outncs submts thc boogca tsclto a hghcr structrc, t s
dsposscsson, ut not nothngncss, lor t s a ncgatvty caught up n hc
mpossbty l cvadng, whout any hcd ol ntatvc. t s, probaby
cnough, a rctrcat nto thc luncss olthc punctua , nto thc ncxtcndcdncss
olthc onc. Kcsponsbtyprortoanylrcccommtmcnt , thconcscloutsdc
ol a thc tropcs olcsscncc, woud bc rcsponsbty lor thc lrccdom olthc
othcrs. Jhcrrcmssbcgu!t th rcgard to thc ncghbour s tkc a Ncssus
unc my skn woud bc.
&"N"0N
cturnng n to thc thcmc olthchrstpartolthscxposon, wc havc to
asklths lodng bakupononcsclpropcrtopsctywhchdocs notcvcn
havc thc vrtuc o bcng an act ol lodng tscl, but makcs thc act ol
onscosncssturnng back upon tsclpossbc) , ths passvc lodng back,
csnot concdc wth thc anarchc passvty olan obscsson. snot obscs-
son a rcatonshpwththcoutsdcwhchsprortothcactthatwoudopcn
upths cxtcror: Jhc tota passvty olobscsson s morc passvc st than
thc passvty ol thngs, lor m thcr ` prmc mattcr' thngs sustan thc
kcrygmatc ogos that brngs out thcr outncs n mattcr. n lang undcr
ths sayng that ordans, mattcr takcs on mcanng, and shows tscl to bc
ths o that - a thng. Jhs la - or, ths casc - a purc surrcndcr to thc
ogos, wthout rcgard lor thc propostons that w! makc ol thc thng a
narratvc to whch thc ogos bcongs , s thc csscncc ol thc accusauvc. Jhc
ogos that nlorms rmc mattcr n cang t to ordcr s an accusaton, or
44 Frcm cxistccc tc cthics
a catcgry u bscssn s anarchca t accuscs mc bcncath thc cvc ol
prmc matcr or as 4 catcgory takcs hod ol mattcr, t takcs as ts modc
stwhatrcsstancc, mpcnctrabty, or potcncy rcmansmthatmattcr, that
`bcng n potcncy' rmc mattcr, prcscntcd as a bcng m potcncy, s st
otcncy, whch thc lorm takcs nto account. t s not by chancc that ato
tcachcs us that mattcr s ctcrna , and that lor Arstotc mattcr s a causc,
such s thc truth lor thc ordcr olthtngs. Wcstcrn phosophy, whch pcrhaps
s rccatontscl, rcmanslathlu to thcordcrolthngsanddocsnotknow
thc absoutc passvty, bcncath thc cvc olactvty and passvty, whch s
contrbutcd by thc dca ol crcaton. hosophcrs havc aways wshcd to
thnk ol crcaton n ontoogca tcrms, that s, m luncton ola prccxstng
and ndcstructbc mattcr.
n obscsson thc accusaton cllcctcd b catcgorcs turns nto an absoutc
accusatvc nwhch thc cgo propc to lrc conscousncss s caught up. t s
an acusaton whout loundaton, to bc surc, pror to any movcmcnt olthc
w , an obscssona and pcrsccutng accusaton. t strps thccgo olts prdc
and thc domnatng mpcrasm charactcstc ol t. Jhc subj cct s n thc
accusatvc, wthout rccoursc m bcng, cxpccd lrom bcng, outsdc ol
bcmg, kc thc onc n hc hrst hypothcscs olamcntdcs, wthout a lounda
ton, rcduccd t tscl, and thus wthout condton. n ts own sn. Not
atrcstundcra lorm, buttghtm tssn, cncumbcrcdandastwcrcstullcd
wth tscl, sullocatng undcr tscl, nsulhccnty opcn, lorccd to dctach
tscllrom tscl, to brcathc morc dccpy, a thc way, lorccd to dsposscss
tscl to thc pont ol osmg tscl. Oocs ths oss havc as ts tc thc vod,
thc zcro pont and thc pcacc olccmctcrcs, as though thc subj cctvty ola
subjcct mcant nothmg: Or do thc bcmg cncumbcrcd wth oncscl and thc
suhcrng ol constrcton n onc' s kn, bcttcr than mctaphors, loow thc
cxact tropc olan atcratonolcsscncc, whch nvcrts, orwoudmvcrt, nto a
rccurrcncc n whch thc cxpuson olscl outsdc oltscls ts substtuton
r thc othcr: s not that what thc scl cmptymg tscl ol tscl woud
ry mcan: Jhs rccurrcncc woud bc thc utmatc sccrct ol thc mcarna
ton ol thc subj cct, pror to a rcHccton, pror to cvcry postmg, an n
dcbtcdncss bclorc any oan, not assumcd, aarchca , subj cctvty ol a
bottocss passvty, madc out ol assgnaton, c thc ccho ol a sound
that woud prcccdc thc rcsonancc ol ths sound. Jhc actvc sourcc ol ths
passvty s not thcmatzabc. t s thc passvty ola trauma, but onc that
prcvcnts ts own rcprcscntaton, a dcalcnng trauma, cuttmg thc thrcad ol
conscousncss whch shoud havcwccomcd tm ts prcscnt, thcpassvtyol
bcmg pcrsccutcd. Jhs passvty dcsccs thc cpthct ol compIctc or
absoutc ony l thc pcrsccutcd onc s IabIc to answcr lor thc pcrsccutor.
Jhclacc olthc ncghbour m ts pcrsccutnghatrcdcan by tms vc maIcc
obscss as somcthmg ptluI. Jhs cguvocaton or cna onIy thc pcrsccu-
Wc 6
tcd onc who docs not cvadc t , but s wthout any rclcrcnccs, any rccoursc
or hcp that s ts ungucncss or ts dcntty as unguc ) s abc to cndurc
Jo undcrgo lrom thc othcr an absoutc patcncc ony l by ths lrom-
thc-othcr s arcady lor-thc-othcr. Jhs traslcr, othcr than ntcrcstcd,
`othcrwsc than csscncc' , s subj cctvty scl. `Jo gvc hs chcck t thc
smtcrand to c hcd wth nsuts' , to dcmand sullcrng n thc sullcrng
undcrgonc wthout producng thc act tat woud bc thc cxposng ol thc
othcrchcck) snot to draw lrom sullcrng somc knd olmagcaIrcdcmptc
vrtuc. nthctraumaolpcrsccutonts topasslromthcotragcundcrgonc
to thc rcsponsbty lor thc pcrsccutor, and, n ths scnsc lrom sullcrng to
cxpaton lor thc othcr. crsccuton s not smcthngaddcd to mc subj cct-
vtyolthc subjcct and hs vuncrabIty, t s thc vcry movcmcnt olrccur-
rcncc. Jhc subcctvty as q { v !\ as an nspraton, s thc put-
ttngntogucston olaalhrmaton lor-oncscl, acgosmbornagannths
vcryrccurrcncc. Jhsputtngntogucstonsnota prcvcntmg Jhcsubjc-
ctvty ola bj ccts rcsponsby olbcng-n-gucston n thclorm olthc
tota cxposurc to ollcncc nthcchcckollcrcd to thc smtcr. Jhsrcsponsb-
ty s pror o daoguc, to thc cxchangc olgucstons andanswcrs, to thc
thcmatzaton olthc sad, whch s supcrposcd on my bctng put mto gucs-
ton by thcthcr n proxmty, andn thc sayng propcr to rcsponsbty s
produccd as a dgrcsson.
Jhc rccurrcncc olprsccuton n thc oncsls thus rcducbc to ntcn
tonaty n whch, cvcn n ts ncutraty as a contcmpatvc movcmct, thc
w s alhrmcd. n t tc labrc olthc samc, scl-posscsson n a prcscnt, s
ncvcr brokc. hcn allcctcd thc cgo s n thc cnd ahcctcd ony by tscl,
lrccy. Subj cctvty takcnasntcntonatysloundcdonauto-allcctonasa
auto-cvcaton, sourcc olan mpcrsona dscoursc. Jhc rccurrcncc ol thc
scln rcsponsbutylorothcrs, a pcrsccutng obscsson, gocs aganst tntcn-
tonaty, sch thatrcsponsbtylorothcrscoudncvcrmcanaItrustcwt,
stnct ol` natura bcncvocncc' , orovc. t s n thc passvty olobscsson,
or ncarnatcd passvty, that an dcntty ndvduatcs tsclas unguc, wth-
outrccoursc to any systcm olrclcrcnccs, n thcmpossbutyolcvadng thc
assgnaton olthc othcrwthout bamc. Jhcrc-prcscntaton olsclgrasps t
acadyn tstracc. Jhcabsoutonolthconc sncthcran cvason, noran
absracton, tsa concrctcncss morc concrctc than thc smpy cohcrcnt na
totaty. or undcr accusaton by cvcryonc, thc rcsponsbuty lor cvcryonc
gocs to thc pont olsubsttuton. M subjcct s a hostagc.
Obscsscd wth rcsponsbItcs whch dd not arsc m dccsons takcn by a
subj cct contcmpatng lrccy' , conscgucnt accuscd m ts mnoccncc,
subjcctvty m ttscls bctng thrown backon oncscl. Js mcs concctc-
y. accuscd olwhat thc othcrs do orsullc, o rcsponsbclorhat thcy do
or sullcr. Jhc ungucncss olthc scIls thc c lctobcmc lIt ol
+ (0 T cxistcncc # ctbics
anothcr. n rcsponsb!ty lor anothcr subjcctvty s ony ths unmtcd
passvty olan accusatvc whch docs not ssuc out ola dcccnson t woud
havc undcrgonc startng wth thc nomnatvc. Jhs accusaton can bc rc-
duccd to thc passvty ol thc scl ony as a pcrsccuton, but a pcrsccuton
that turnsnto ancxpaton. Wthout pcrsccuton thccgo rascs tshcadand
covcrs ovcr thc scl. vcrythng s lrom thc start n thc acusatvc. Such s
thccxccptona condton or uncondtonaty olthc scl, thc sgnhcaton ol
thc pronoun sc/] lor whch our atn grammars thcscvcs know no
nomnatvc lo.
Jhc morc rcturn to myscl, thc morc dvcst myscl, undcr thc
traumatc cllcct ol pcrsccuton, ol my lrccdom as a consttutcd, wlu ,
pcrast subj cct , thc mrc dscovcr mysclto bc rcsponsbc thc morc
just am, thc morc gu!ty am. am `n mysc through thc othcrs. Jhc
psychc s thc othcr n thc samc, wthout acnatng thc samc. ackcd up
aganst tscl, n tscl bccausc wthout any rccoursc n anytng, n tscl
kc n ts sn, thc scl n ts skn bot s cxposcd to thc cxtcror whch
docs not happcn to thngs and obscsscd by thc othcrs n ths nakcd
cxposurc. Oocs not thc scltakc on tscl, through ts vcry mpossbty to
cvadc tsown dcntty, toward whch, whcn pcrsccutcd, twthdraws:Oocs
not a bcgnnng rsc n ths passvty: Jhc undccnabty ol thc cgo s thc
rrcmssbty ol thc accusaton, lrom whch t can no ongcr takc a ds-
tancc, whc t cannot cvadc. Jhs mpossb!ty oltakng any dstancc and
olsppngaway lrom thc ood s a hrmncssmorchrm and morc prolound
than that ol thc w , whch s st a tcrgvcrsaton.
Jhc nabty todccnc ndcatcs thc anachronsmola dcbt prcccdng thc
oan, olancxpcndturcovcowngonc'srcsourccs,asncllort . twoudbc
an cxgcncy wth rcgard to oncsclwhcrc what s possbc s not mcasurcd
bya rccctonon oncscl, asn thc lortsc. nths cxgcncywthrcgard to
oncsclthc sclanswcrngto thc cxgcncydocsnot showtsclm thclomol
a drcct objcct compcmcnt whch woud bc to supposc an cguaty
bctwccn scl and sc. Jhs cxgcncy wth rcgard to oncscl wthout rcgard
lor what spossbc, thats , bcyond a cguty, sproduccdn thcormolan
accusaton prcccdng thc aut , bornc aganst oncsc dcsptc onc's nno
ccncc. or thc ordcr ol contcmpaton t s somcthng smpy dcmcntcd.
Jhs cxtrcmc accusaton cxcudcs thc dccnabty othc sc, whch woud
havcconsstcd n mcasurng thc possbcs noncscl, so as to accusc oncscl
olths o that , olsomcthng comttcd cvcn ln thc lorm olorgna sn.
Jhc accusaton that wcghs on thc scl as a scl s an cxgcncy wthout
consdcratonlor oncscl Jhc nntcpassonolrcsponsbty, n tsrcturn
upon tscl gocs lurthcr than ts dcntty, to thc hthcr sdc or bcyond
bcng and thc possbc, and puts thc bcng n tsc n dchc t, mang t
susccptbc ol bcng trcatcd as a ncgatvc guantty.
5u0stitutim lO3
uthow docsthcpasstvtty olthcsclbccomc a `hod on oncsc l' lthat
ts not just a pay on words, docs tt not prcsupposc an acttvtt bchm thc
absoutcy anarchtca passtvtty olobscsson, a candcsunc and tsstmuatc
lrccdom Jhcn what tsthc obj cctolthccxposttton dcvcopcd to thts pomt
Wchavcanswcrcd thtsgucstton tnadvanccwtth thcnottonolsubstttutton.
PELIPL?9W
n thts cxposttton ol thc n ttscl ol thc pcrsccutc subj ccttvtty, havc wc
bccn latthlu cnough to thc anarchy olpasstvtty n spcaktng olthc rccur-
rcncc ol thc cgo to thc scl, havc c bccn sulhctcnty lrcc lrom thc
postuatcs ol ontoogtca thought, whcrc thc ctcrna prcscncc to oncscl
subtcnds cvc tts abscnccs tn thc lorm ol a gucst, whcrc ctcrna bctng,
whosc posstbcs arcaso powcrs, aways takcs up what tt undcrgocs, an
whatcvcr bc tts submsston, aways artscs ancw as thc prtnctpc ol what
happcns to tt t ts pcrhaps hcrc, tn thts rclcrcncc to a cpth olanarchtca
passtvtty, tat thc thought that namcs crcatton dtllcrs lrom ontootca
thought. t ts not hcrc a gucstton ol j usttlytng thc thcoogtca contcxt ol
ontoogtca thought, lor thc word crcatton dcstgnatcs a stgnmcatton odcr
than thc ntcx wovcn about thts namc. n thts contcxt , thts satd, ts
arcady cllaccd thc absoutc dtachrony olcrcatton, rclractory to asscmbtng
nto a prcscnt and a rcprcscntatton. ut tn crcatton, what ts cacd to bctng
answcrstoacathatcoudnothavcrcachcdttsmcc, broughtoutolnothtng-
ncss, t obcycd bclorc hcarng thc ordcr. Jhus n thc conccpt ol crcatton
&14 = tl t s not a purc nonscnsc, thcrc s thc coccpt ol a
passvty that docs not rcvcrt mto an assumptton. Jhc scl as a crcaturc ts
conccvcd n a passvty morc passvc st than thc passvty olmattcr, that
s, pror to thc vrtua concdtng ol a tcrm wth tscl. Jhc oncscl has
to bc conccvcd outsdc ol a substanta concdtng ol scl wth scl.
ontrary to Wcstcrn thought whch untcs subj cctvty and substantatty,
hcrc concdng snotthcnorm that arcady commands a noncotndtng,
nthc gucst tprovokcs . Jhcn thc rccurrcncctooncsclcannot stopatonc-
scl, but gocs to thc hthcr sdc ol oncscl, thc rccurrcncc to
oncsclthcrcs a gongto thchthcrsdc oloncscl. A docs not, as tn tcn-
tty, rcturn to A, but rctrcats to thc hthcr stdc oltts potnt oldcparturc.
s not thc stgnmcatton ol rcsponstbty lor anothcr, whtch annot bc
assmcdbyanylrccdom, statcd tn thts tropcarlrombctngrcogntzc
thc lrccdom ol consctousncss, whch oscs ttscl and hnds ttscl agatn,
whtch, as a lrccdom, rcaxcs thc ordcr ol bcng so as to rctntcgratc tt
n a lrcc rcsponstbtty, thc rcsponstbttty lor thc othcr, thc rcsponstbtttytn
obscsson, suggcstsanabsoutcpasstvttyola sclthat has ncvcr bccn abc to
dtvcrgclromttscl, to thcn cntcrtto tts tmtts, and tdcnttly ttsclby rccog-
IO4 Frm cxistcncc to ctbics
nzng tscln ts past . ts rccurrcncc s thc contractng olan cgo, gong to
thc hthcr sdc ol dcntty, gnawng away at ths vcry dcntty - dcntty
gnawmg away at tscl- n a rcmorsc. Kcsponsbtty lor anothcr s not an
accdcnt that happcns to a subjcct, butprcccdcs csscncc n t, has ot awa-
tcd lrccdom, n whch a commttmcnt to anothcr woud hac bccn madc.
havc not donc anythng and havc aways bccn undcraccusaton- pcrsccu-
tcd. Jhcpscty, nthcpassvtywthoutarchccharactcrstcoldcntty, sa
hostagc. Jhc word P mcans bcrc P !] answcrng lor cvcrythng and lor
cvcryonc. Kcsponsbty lor thc othcrs has not bccn a rcturn to oncscl, but
an cxaspcratc contratng, whch thc ts ol dcntty cannot rctam.
Kccurrcncc bccomcs dcnttyn brcaktngupthc mts oldcntty, brcang
up thcnni/c olbcng n mc, thc ntocrabc rcst m tsclcharactcrstc ol
dchnton. Jhc scl s on thc hthcr sdc ol rcst, t s thc mpossbty to
comc back lrom a thngs and conccrn oncscl ony wth oncscl. t s to
hod on to oncsclwhc gnawng away at oncscl. Kcsonsbty n obscs-
son s a rcsponsbty ol thc cgo lorwhat thc cgo has not wshcd, that s,
lor thc othcrs . Jhs anarchy n thc rccurrcncc to oncscl s bcyond thc
norma pay olacton and passon n whch thc dcntty ola bcng s mant-
ancd, n whch t $ t s on thc hthcr sdc ol thc mts oldcntty. Jhs
passvty undcrgonc n promty by thc lorcc ol an atcrty n mc s thc
passvty ola rccurrcncc to oncsclwhch s not thc acnaton olan dcntty
bctraycd. What can t bc but a substtuton ol mc lor thc othcrs t s,
howcvcr,notanacnaton, bccauscthc othcrnthc samc smysubsttuton
lor thc othcr throughrcsponsbty, lor whch amsummoncdas somconc
rrcpaccabc. cxst through thc othcr and lor thc othcr, but wthout ths
bcmg acnaton am nsprc. Jhs nspraton s thc psychc. Jhc psychc
can sgnly thsatcrtyn thc samcwthoutacnatonnthclormolncarn-
aton, as bcngn-onc' s-skn, havng-thc-othcr-n-oncs-sktn.
n ths substtuton, n whch dcntty s nvcrtcd, ths passvty morc
passvc st than thc passvty conj oncd wth acton, bcyond thc ncrt
passvty olthc dcsgnatcd, thc scls absovcd oltscl. s ths lrccdom t
s a dllcrcnt lrccdom lrom that olan ntatvc. Jhrough substtuton lor
othcrs, thc oncscl cscapcs rcatons . At thc mt ol passvty, thc oncscl
cscapcs passvty or thc ncvtabc mtaton that thc tcrms wthn rcton
undcrgo. n thc ncomparabc rcatonshp ol rcsponsbty, thc othcr no
ongcrmtsthc samc, ts supportcdbywhattmts. Hcrcthcovcrdccr-
mnaton olthc ontoogca catcgorcs svsbc,whchtranslors thcmnto
ctha tcrms . n ths most passvc passvty, thc sclbcratcs tsclcthcay
lrom cvcry othcr and lrom tscl. ts rcsponsbty lor thc othcr, thc
proxmty olthc ncghbour, docs not sgnly a submsson to thcno-cgo, t
mcans an opcnncssnwhchbcng'scsscncssurpasscdm nspraton. ts
an opcnncss ol whch rcspraton s a modaty or lorctastc, or, morc
5u0stttuttm A6"
cxactIy, oIwhch t rctans thc aItcrtastc. Outsc oIanymystcsm,nths
rcspraton, thc possbIty oI cvcry sacrcc Ior thc ocr, actvty and
passvty concdc.
or thc vcncrabIc tradton to whch HcgcI rcIcrs, thc cgo s an cquaIty
wth tscI, and conscucntIy thc rctu oI bcmg to tscII s a concrct
unvcrsaIty, bctng havmg scparatcd tscIIIrom tscIn thc unvcrsaIty oI
tconccptanddcath. utvcwcdoutoIthcobscssonoIpassvty, oItscII
anarchcaI, thcrc s brought out, bchmd tc cquaIty oIconscousncss, an
mcquaIty. Jhs ncquaItydocsnotsgnIy annadcuaton oIthcapparcnt
bcmg wth thc proIound or subImc bcng, nor a rcturn to an orgma
nnoccncc suchas thcncquaItyoIthcco tscIInabcrt, who spcrhaps
IathIuI to thc tradton n whch non-concdccc s onIy prvaton) . t
sgncs an cquaIty n thc oncscIIduc to sbsttuton, an cIIort tocscapc
conccptswthoutany Iuturc but attcmptcd ancw thc ncxt day. tsgns a
ungucncss, undcr assgnaton, oIrcsponsbIty, and bccausc oI ths assg-
natonnot hndngny rcst n tscII. Jhc scIIwthout a conccpt, uncguaI n
dcntty, sgnhcs tscIn thc hrst pcrson, scttmgIorth thc pIanc oIsayg,
pro-ducng tscIIn sayng asancgooras c, that s, uttcrIy dIIcrcntIrom
any othcr cgo, that s, havng a mcanng dcspt dcath. Lontrary to thc
ontoogyI dcath ths scII opcns an ordcr n whch dcath can c no
rccognzcd An dcnttyn dastass, whcrcconcdngswantmg. ama scII
thc dcntIyng rccurrcncc n whch hnd myscIcast back to thc hthcr
sdc oImy pont oIdcparturc Jhs scIs out oIphasc wth tscII, IorgctIuI
oItscII, IorgctIuI m btng n upon tscI, n thc rcIcrcncc to tscIIwhch s
thc gnawngawayatoncscItorcmorsc. Jhcscarcnotcvcntsthathappcnto
an cmprca cgo, that s, to an cgo aIrcady postcd andIuIIydcntcd, asa
tra = woud Icad t to bcng morc conscous oItscII, and makc t morc
apt to put tscIIn thc pIacc oIothcrs. What wc arc hcrccaIIngoncscII, or
thc othcr n thc samc, whcrc nspraton arouscs rcspraton, thc vc

pncuma oI thc psychc, prcccdcs ths cmprcaI ordcr, whch s a par oI

bcng,oIthc unvcrsc, oIthc Statc, ands aIrcady condtoncd n a systcm.
Hcr wc arc tryng to cxprcss thc uncondtnaIty oIa subjcct, whch docs
not havcthcstatus oIa prncpIc. 1hs uncondtonaItyconIcrsmcanngon
bcngtscII, andwccomcs ts gravy. t s as rcstngon a scII, supportng
thc whoIc oIbcng, that bcng s asscmbcd nto a unty oIthcunvcrsc and
cscncc s asscbcd nto an cvcnt . Jhc scIIs a su0-]cctu, t s undcr thc
wcght oI thc unvcrsc rcsponsbIc Ior cvcrythng. Jhc unty oI thc un-
vcrscsnotwhat mygazccmbraccsntsuntyoIappcrccptn, btwhats
ncumbcnt on mc Irom aI sdcs, rcgards mc n thc two scnscs oIthc tcrm,
accuscs mc, smyaIIar. n ths scnsc, thc dca that amsought out n tc
ntcrsdcrcaI spaccs s notsccncc-ctoncton, but cxprcsscs my passvty
as a scII.
I O6 Ftcm cxtstcncc tc cthtcs
Jhc cII what nvcrt thc uprght mpcrturbabc work, wthout cxcmp
ton,nwhch bcng' ccnccunIod. Jobc n-onccII, backcdupagant
onccI, to thc cxtcnt oIubttutng onccIIoraI that puhc oncnto th
nuII-pIacc, Ior thc to bc n tcII, yng n tcII bcyond ccncc. Jhc
rccIuon oIthc cgo n tcII, on thc hthcr dc oIt dcntty, n thc othcr,
thccxpaton upportngthc wcghtoIthcnon-cgo, ncthcra trumph nor
a Iaurc. aIng aIrcady prcuppoc a Irccdom and thc mpcraIm oI a
potcaI or cccIcatcaI cgo, that , a htory oIconttutcd and Ircc cgo .
Jhc cII a an cxpaton pror to actvty and pavty.
n oppoton to thc von oI thnkcr uch a Lugcn nk or cannc
OcIhommc, who rcurc, among thc condton oI thc word, a Irccdom
wthout rcponbIty, a Irccdom oIpIay, wc dccrn n obcon a rcpon
bIty that rct on no Ircc commitmcnt , a rcpontbty whoc cntry nto
bcngcouId bcccctcd onIywthoutanychocc. Jobcwthouta chocc can
ccm to bc voIcncc onIy to an abuvc or haty and mprudcnt rcccton,
Ior t prcccdc thc Irccdo non-Irccdom coupIc, but thcrcby ct up a
vocato that goc bcyond thc Imtcd and cgot Iatc oI hm who onIy
Ior-hmcII, and wahc h hand oIthc IauIt andmIortunc that o not
bcgn n h own Irccdom or n h prccnt . t thc cttng up oIa bctng
at not IortcII, but IoraII , both bctng and dtcrctcdnc . Jhc
Ior tcII gnc cII-concounc, thc Ior I , rcponbty Ior thc
othcr, pport oI thc unvcrc. Kcponbty Ior thc othcr, th way oI
anwcrngwthout a pror commitmcnt , human Iratcrnty tcII, and t
pror to Irccdom. Jh Iacc oI thc othcr m proxmty, whch morc than
cprccntatton, t an unrcprccntabIc tracc, thc way oIthc ntc. t not
bccaucamongbcngthcrccxt an cgo, a bcmgpurungcnd, thatbcng
takc ongnucatonand bccomc a unvcrc. t bccauc n an approach,
thcrc ncrbcd or wrttcn thc tracc oInLnty, thc tracc oIa dcparturc,
but tracc oIwhat nordtnatc, doc not cntcr nto thc prccnt, and nvcrt
thcbkonto anarchy, that thcrc Iorakcnnc oIthc othcr, obcon by
h, cponbIty and a cII.' Jhc non-ntcrchangcabIc par cxccIIcncc,
thc thc unquc onc, ubttutc tcIIIor othcr. Nothtng a gamc. Jhu
bcng tranccndcd.
Jhccgo not ut a bctng cndowcd wtth ccrtatn quattc caIIcd moraI
whch twouId bcara a ubtancc bcar attrbutc, orwhch t wouId takc
on a accdcnt n t bccong. t cxccptonaI untgucnc n thc patvty
or thc paton oIthc cII thc nccant cvcnt oIubjccton to cvcrythng,
oI ubttuton. t a bcng dvcttng tcI, cmtyng tcII oI t bctng,
turnng tcIImdcout , andIt can bcput thu, thcIactoI` othcrwc than
bctng' Jh ubjcctton nthcr nothngnc, nor a prodct oIa tranccn-
dcnta tmagnaton. n tht anaIy wc donotmcan to rcducc an cntty that
woud bc thc cgo to thc act oIubttutmg tcIthatwouId bc thc bctngoI
'2
tht cnttty. Subtttutton t notanact tt t a patvtty nconvcrttbIc tnto an
act, thchtthcrtdcoIthcact-patvtyaItcrnattvc, thccxccptton thatcannot
bc Httcd tnto thc grammattcaI catcgrtc oInoun or vcrb, avc tn thc ad
that thcmattzc thcm. Jhtrccurrcncccan bc tatcd onIy a an tn-ttcII, a
thc undctd oIbctng or a othcrwtc than bcng. ' ' Jo bc onccII, othcr-
wc than bctng, to bc dt-ntcrctcd, to bcar thc wrctchcdnc and
bankruptcyoIthc othcr, andcvcn tcrcpontbtIttythatthcothcrcanhavc
Ior mc. o bc oncclI, thc tatc oIbcng a hotagc, t aIway to havc onc
dcgrcc oIrcponbtltymorc, thc rcpontbtItty Ior thcrcpontbtIttyoIthc
othcr.

Why doc thc othcr conccrn mc? What Hccuba to mc Am my
rothcr' kccpcr? hcc gucton havc mcanng onIy tI onc ha aIrcady
uppocd that thc cgo t conccrncd onIy wtth tcII, t onIy a conccrn Io
ttcII. n tht hypothc tt tndccd rcmatn tncomprchcntbIc that thc abo-
Iutc outtdc-oI-mc, thc othcr, wouId conccrn mc. but tn thc ` prchttory' oI
thc cgo pttcd Ior ttcIIpcak a rcpontbItty. Jh cIIt through and
through a hotagc, oIdcrthan thc cgo, prtor to prtnctpIc. What at stakc
Ior thc cII, n t bctng, t not to bc. bcyond cgotm and aItrum t thc
rcIgtotty oIthc cII.
tttoughthc condtton oIbcnghotagc thatthcrccanbctn thcworId
ptty, compaton, pardon proxtmtty - cvcn thc ItttIc thcrc t, cvcn mc
tmpIc `AItcr yu, r' Jhc uncondttonaItty oI bcng hotagc t not thc
Imtt cacoIoItdartty, but thc condtttonIoraII oItdartty. vcraccuaton
and pcrccutton, a aII ntcrpcronaI prac, rccompcnc, nd punthmnt,
prcuppoc hc ub cctvty oI thc cgo, ubtttutton, thc potbIty oI
putttng onccII n thc pIacc oI thc othcr, whch rcIcr to thc tranIcrcncc
Irom thc `by thc othcr' nto a `Ior thc otcr' , and tn pcrcuton Irom thc
outragc tnctcd by thc othcr to thc cxpatton Ior ht IauIt byc. ut tc
aboIutc accuton, prtor to Irccdom, conttutc Irccdom whch, aIIcd to
thc ood, tuatc bcyond and outtdc oIaII ccncc.
AII thc tranIcr oIIcIng, wthwch thc thcort oIorgnaI warad
cgom cxpIan thc btrth oIgcncroty t , howcvcr, not ccrtam that war
aatthcbcgtnnmg, cIorc thcaItar, wouIdnotuccccdmbcmgcdm
thc cgo I t wcrc ot wth tt whoIc bcmg, or rathcr wth t whoIc
dtntcrctcdnc, ub cctcd not, Ic mattcr, to a catcgory, but to th
unImtcd accuattvc oIpcrccuton. Jhc cII, a hotagc, aIrcady u-
tutcd Ior thc othcr. ` am an othcr' , but tht not thc aIcnatton mbaud
rcIcr to. am outtdc oI any pIacc, n mycII, on thc hthcr tdc oI thc
autonomyoIauto-aIIcctonandtdcntttyrcttngonttcII. mpavcIyundcr-
gongthcwctghtoIthcothcr, thcrcbycaIIcd to untqucnc, ubccttvty no
Iongcr bcIong to thc ordcr whcrc thc aItcrnatvc oI actvty and pavtty
rctatntt canmg. Wc havc o pcak hcrc oIcxpatOn 1 unttmtdcny
$ Frcm cxistcncc tc cthics
and atcrty. Jhc cgo s not an cntty capabc olcxpatnglor thc othcrs t
s ths orgna cxpaton. Jhs cxpaton s vountary, lor t s pror to thc
w 'sntatvc pror to thcorgn. ts asthough thc unty and ungucncss
olthc cgowcrcarcady thc hod on tsclolthc gravty olthcothcr. nths
scnsc thc scl s goodncss , or undcr thc cgcncy lor an abandon ol a
havng, ol a cnc's cun and a ]cr cncsc/], to thc pont ol substtuton.
oodncss s, wc havc sad, thc soc attrbutc whch docs not ntroducc
mutpcty nto thc nc that a sub cct s, lor t s dstnct lrom thc nc. l
t showcd tsclto thc onc, twoud no ongcr bca goodncss n t. oodncss
nvcsts mc n my obcdcncc to thc hddcn ood.
Jhc ndvduaton or supcrndvduaton ol thc cgo conssts n bcng n
tscl, n ts skn, wthout sharng thc ccnatus csscnJt ol a bcngs whch
arc bcngs n thcmscvcs. t conssts n my bcnglaccdwth cvcrythmg that
s ony bccausc am by rcgard lor a that s . t s an cxpatng lor bcng.
Jhc scls thcvcry lact olbcng cxposcd undcr thcacusaton that cannot
bc assumcd, whcrc thc cgo supports thc othcrs , unkc thc ccrtanty olthc
cgo that rcjons tscl n lrccdom.
511H3(C(53N
t s wth subj cctvty undcrstood as scl, wth thc cxcdng and dsposscs-
son, thc contracton, n whch thc cgo docs not appcar but moatcs
tscl, that thc rcatonshp wth thc othcr can bc councaton and
ransccndcncc, and not aways anothcr way ol scckng ccrtamty, or thc
concdng wth oncscl. aradoxcay cnough, thmkcrs cam to dcrc
communcaton out ol scl-concdng. Jhcy do not takc scrousy thc
radcarcvcrsa , lromcogntontosodarty, thatcommuncatonrcprcscnts
th rcspcct to nward daoguc, to cognton oloncscl, takcn as thc tropc
olsprtuaty. Jhcy scck lorcouncaton a lu cocragc nsurancc, and
do not ask lmward daoguc s not bchodcn to thc sodarty that sustams
communcaton. n cxpaton, thcrcsponsbtylor thc othcrs, thc rcaton-
shpwth thc noncgo, prcccdcs any rcatonshp olthc cgo wth tscl. Jhc
rcatonshpwth thcothcrprcccdcs thcautoallcctonolccrtanty, towhch
onc aways trcs to rcducc communcaton.
Butcommuncatn woud bc mpossbclt shoud havc to bcgn n thc
cgo, a lrcc subjcct, to whom ccry othcr woud bc ony a taton that
mtcs war, dommaton, prccauton and mlormaton. Jo communcatc s
mdccd to opcn oncscl, but thc opcncss s not compctc l t s on thc
watch lor rccognton. t s compctc not m opcnmg to thc spcctacc olor
thc rccognton olthcothcr, but nbccomnga rcsponsbty lor hm. Jhc
ocrcmphass ol opcnncss s rcsposbty or thc othcr to thc pomt ol
substttutton, whcrcthclorthc-othcrpropcrto dtscosurc, tomonstrattonto
S 7 *
thc othcr, turns nto thc lor-thc-othcr propcr to rcsponsbty. Jhs s th
thcss olthc prcscnt work Jhc opcnncss olcommuncaton s not a smpc
changc ol pacc, so as to tuatc a truth outsdc nstcad ol kccpng t n
oncscl. What s surprsng s thc dca or thc loy ol stuatng t outsdc.
oud communcaton bcsomcthng addcd on:Ors not thc cgo a substtu-
ton n ts sodarty assomcthngdcntca , a sodarty that bcgns bybcar-
ng wtncss oltsclto thc othcr: st not thcn rst ola a communcatg
olcommuncaton, a sgn olthc gvng ol sgns, and nt a trasmsson ol
somcthngn an opcnncss: t s to snguary dspacc thc gucston to ask l
what shows tscln ths opcnncss sas t shows tscl, lts appcarng snot
an appcarancc. Jhc probcm olcommuncaton rcduccd to thc probcm ol
th truth ol ths communcaton lor hm that rcccvcs t amounts to thc
probcm olccrantyolthcconcdng olsclwthscl, asthoughconcdng
wcrc thc utmatc sccrct olcomuncaton, and s though truth wcrc on
dscosurc. Jhc dca that truthcan sgnly a wtncssgvcn olthcntcs
not cvcn suggcstcd. n ths pccmncncc ol ccrtaty, thc dntty ol a
substancc stakcn on lor thc cgo, s sad to bc a monad, and s hcncclorth
ncapabc olcommuncaton, savc bya mracc. Onc s thcn cdtoooklora
thcor, lrom Lassrcr to nswangcr, accordng to whch a pror daoguc
sustas t cgo whch statcs t, rathcr than thc cgo hodng lorth a con-
vcrsaton.
Jhosc who wsh to lound on daoguc and on an orgma e thc upsurgc
olcgos, rclcr to an orgna communcaton bchn thc ^evNY coun-
caton butwthoutgvng thsorgna communcaton any scnscothcr than
thc cmprca scnsc ol a daoguc or a NveN ol onc to thc othcr -
whch s to prcsupposc that

e that s to bc loundcd , and rcducc thc

probcmolcouncatonto thc probcm olts ccrtanty. n opposton to
that, wc supposc that thcrc s n thc transccndcncc nvovcd n anuac
a rcatonsp that s not an cmprca spccch, but rcsponsbty. ms
rcatonshp s aso a rcsgnaton pror to any dccson, n passvty at thc
rskolmsundcrstandncnovc, whcrc, uncss oncdocsnotIovcwh
ovc, onc has torcsgnoncscIlto notbcngovcd , at thc rsk olacoland
rclusa olcommuncaton. Jhc cgo that thcmatzcs s aso loundcd n ths
rcsponsbty and substtuton. Kcgardng communcaton and trsccnd-
cncc onc can ndccd ony spcak olthcr unccrtamty. Lommucaon s an
advcnturc ola subjcctvty, dllcrcnt lrom that whch s dommatcd by thc
conccrn to rccovcr tscl, dhcrcntlromthat olconcdng nconscousncss
t nvovc unccrtanty. t s by vrtuc ol ts cdos possbc onIy I
sacrmcc, whch s thc approach ol hm lor whom onc s rcsponsbIc.
Lommuncatonwth thc othcr can bctransccndcnt onIy asa dancrousc
a nc rsk to bc n. Jhsc words takc on thcr stron scnsc whcn nstcad
ol ony dcsnatng thc ack ol ccrtamty, hcy cxprcss thc rauy o
sacrmcc. na ncrsktobcrun, thcword `c'hasnobccnmouhabou
I I O Ftcm cxistccc tc cthics
cnough. t s as antthctca to ccrtanty, and ndccd to conscousncss, that
thcsc tcrms takc on thcr postvc mcanng, and arc not thc cxprcsson ola
makcsht.
tsony nthsway that thc absoutcycxtcrorothcrsncartothcpont
ol obscsson. Hcrc thcrc s proxmty and not truth about proxmty, not
ccrtantyabout thc prcscncc olthc othcr, butrcsponsbtylorhm wthout
dcbcraton, and wthout thc compuson ol truths n whch commtmcnts
arsc, wthoutccrtanty. Jhs rcsponsbtycommtsmc,anddocssobclorc
any truth and any ccrtanty, makng thcgucston oltrust and norms an l
gucson, lor n ts uprghtncss a conscousncss s not ony navcty and
opnon./1
Jhc cthca anguagc wc havc rcsortcd to docs not arsc out ol a spcca
mora cxpcrcncc, ndcpcndcnt ol thc dcscrpton hthcrto caboratcd. Jhc
cthca stuaton ol rcsponsbty s not comprchcnsbc on thc bass ol
cthcs . t docs ndccd arsc lrom what Aphonsc dc Wachcns cacd non-
phosophca cxpcrcnccs, whch arc cthcay ndcpcndcnt . Jhc constrant
that docs not prcsupposc thc w, nor cvcn thc corc ol bcng lrom whch
thc w arscs or whch t brcaks up , and that wc havc dcscrbcd startng
wth pcrsccuton, has ts pacc bctwccn thc ncccssty ol what cannot bc
othcrwsc Arstotc, Mctahsics, , olwhat today wc ca cdctc ncccss-
ty, and thc constrant mposcd on a w by thstuaton n whch t mds
t

cl, or by othcr ws and dcsrcs, or by thc ws and dcsrcs ol othcrs.

Jhc tropcs ol cthca anguagc arc lound to bc adcguatc lor ccrtan struc-
turcs ol thc dcscrpton lor thc scnsc ol thc approach n ts contrast wth
knowng, thc lacc n ts contrast wth a phcnomcnon.
hcnomcnoogy can loow out thc rcvcrtng olthcmatzaton nto anar-
y n thc dcscrpton ol thc approach. Jhcn cthca anguagc succcds m
cxprcssng thc paradox n whc phcnomcnoogy mds tscl abrupty
thrown. or cthcs, bcyond potcs, s lound at thc cvc olths rcvcrtng.
Startngwth thc approach, thc dcscrpton mds thc ncghbour bcarmg thc
tracc ol a wthdrawa that ordcrs t as a lacc. Jhs tracc s sgnhcant lor
bchavour, and onc woud bc wrong to lorgct ts anarchc nsnuaton by
conlusng t wth an ndcaton, wth thc monstraton olthc sgnhcd n thc
sgnhcr. orthat s thc tncrary bywhch thcoogca and cdlyngthought
too gucy dcduccs thc truths ollath. Jhcn oscsson s suordmatcd to a
prncpc that s statcd n a thcmc, whch annus thc vcry anarchy ol ts
movcmcnt ./3Jhctraccnwhch a lacc sordcrcd snot rcducbc to a sgn
a sgn and ts rcatonshp wth thc sgnhcd arc synchronc na tcmc. Jhc
approach s not thc thcmatzaton ol any rcatonshp, but s thts vcry
rcatonshp, whch rcssts thcmataton as anarchc. Jo thcmatzc ths
rcaton s arcady to osc t, to cavc thc absoutc passvty ol thc scl.
Jhc passvty pror to thc passvty-actvty atcrnatvc, morc passvc
$G)$) 7 7 7
than any ncrta, s dcscrbcd by thc cthca tcrms accusauon, pcrsccuuon,
and rcsponsbty lor thc othcrs . Jhc pcrsccutcd on s cxpccd lrom
hs pacc and has ony hmscl to hmscl, has nothng n thc word on
whch to rcst hs hcad. Hc s pucd out ol cvcry gamc and cvcry war.
cyond auo-allccton, whch sstIan actvty, cvcn lts strctycontcm-
porancous wth ts passvty, thc scls dcnudcd n pcrsccuton, lromwch
an accusaton snscparabc, n thc absoutc passvty olbcnga crcaturc, ol
substtuton. n dvcstng thc cgo ol ts mpcrasm, thc hctcro-allcctn
cstabshcs a ncw undccnabIty. thc scl, subj cctc to an absoutc accusa-
tvc, as thoughths accusaton whchtdocs notcvcnhavc to assmccc
lrom t. Jhc sclnvovcd n thc gautng auay at mcsc/] m rcsponsbty,
whch sasonarnaton, snot anobj cccatonolc scIlycco. hc
scIl, thc pcrsccutcd onc, s accuscd bcyond hs laut bclorc lrccdom, d
thus n an unavwabIc nnoccncc. nc mst not conccvc t to bc m mc
statc olorgma sn, ts,on thc contrary, corgmagoodncssolcrcaton
Jhc pcrsccutcd onc cannot dclcnd hmsclby anguagc, lor c pcrsccuon
s a dsgua

hcaton ol tc apoogy. crsccuuon s thc prccsc momcnt I

whch thc subj ccts rcachcd or touchcd wth thc mcdauon olc Iogos
`tulc ttccd0m
Jhc vcws that hac bccn cxpundcd can thcn not bc rcproachcd lor c
mprudcnccolalhrmng that thc hrst word olthc 'mmd' , that wch mcs
aI thc othcrs possb

c, and cvcn thc words 'ncgauvty' and ' conscousncss

woud bc thc navc uncondtoncd 'cs' olsubmsson, ncga tum and
a thc hghcst vaucs Jhc uncondtonaty ol ths ycs s not at ol an
lantc spontancty. ts thcvcry cxposurc to crtguc thc cxposrc pror
to conscnt, morc anccnt than any navc spontancty. Wc havc bccn accus
tomcd to rcason n thc namc ol thc lrccdom ol thc cgo - as though ) had
wtncsscdthccrcatonothcword, andasthough coudonyhavbccnm
chargc ol a word that woud havc ssucd ot ol my lrcc wII . hcsc arc
prcsumptons ol phosophcrs, prcsumptons ol dcasts r cvasns ol
rrcsponsbc oncs. Jhat s what crpturc rcproachcs ob lor. Hc woud
avcknown how to cxpan hs mscrcs lthcy coud havc dcvovcd lrom
hslauts uthcncvcrwscdcvI Hs lasclrcnds thmk c hc docs. na
mcannglu word onc cannot bc hcd to answcr whcn onc has not donc
anythng. ob thcn must havc lorgottcn hs lauts ut thc subjcctvty ola
subj cct comc atc nto a word whch has not ssucd lrom hs proj ccts docs
not consst n projctng, or n trcatng ths word as onc' s proj cct. Jhc
'atcncss' s not nsgnmcant. Jhc mts t mposcs on thc lrccdom ol
subj cctvty arc not rcducbc to purc prvaton. Jo bcrcsponsbcovcr and
bcyondonc' srccdom s ccrany not to rcmam a purc rcsut olthcword.
I I 2 Ftom cxistcc to ctbics
Jo support thc uvcrsc s a crushg chargc, but a dvmc dscomlort . t s
bcttcrthan mc mcrts and lautsand sanctonsproportonatcto mc lrccdom
ol onc's choccs l cthca tcrms arsc n our dscursc, bclorc mc tcrms
lrccdom and non-lrccdom, t s bccausc bclorc thc bpoarty olgood and
cvu prcscntcd to chocc, thc subjcctmdshsclcommttcd o mc oodm
thc vcry passvty olsupportng. Jhc dstmcton bcccn lrcc and non-lrcc
woud not bc thc umatc dstncton bcccn humanty and mhumty,
nor thc utmatc mark olscnsc and nonscnsc. Jo undcrstand mtcgbty
docs not consst n gomg back to thc bcg ng. Jhcrc was a c rrcduc-
bc to prcscncc, an absoutcunrcprcscntabc past. Hasnotc oodchoscn
thc subj cct wth an cccton rccognabc m thc rcsponsbuty ol bcmg
hostagc, to whch thc subj cct s dcsncd, whch hc cannot cvadc wmout
dcnymg hmscl, and by vrtuc olwhch hc s unguc A posophcr can
gvc to ths cccton ony thc sgnhcaton crcumscrbcd by rcsponsbuty
lor thc othcr. Jhs antcccdcncc ol rcsponsbty to lrccdom woud sgnly
thc oodncss ol thc ood. thc ncccssty mat thc ood choosc mc st
bclorc can bc n a poston to choosc, that s, wccomc ts chocc. Jhat s
my prc-orgnary susccticcmss. ts a passvty pror to a rcccptvty, t s
transccndcnt. t s an antcccndcncc pror to a rcprcscntabc antcccdcncc.
cmora . Jhc ood s bclorc bcmg. Jhcrc s dachrony anunbrdgc-
abc dllcrcncc bctwccn thc ood and mc, wtoutsmutancty, oddtcrms .
ut aso anon-mdllcrcnccn ths dllcrcncc. Jhc ood assgns thc subj cct,
accordmg to a susccpton that cannot bc assumcd, to approach thc othcr,
thcncghbour. Jhs san assgnaton toa non-crotcproxmty, toa dcsrc
ol thc non-dcsrabc, to a dcsrc ol thc strangcr n thc ncghbour. t s
outsdc olconcupsccncc, whchlor tspartdocs notccasctoscduccbythc
appcaranccolthcood. na clcranwayttakcsonthsappcaranccand
thuscamstobcongto thcood,gvcstsclouttobctscgua , butn ths
vcry prctcnton whch s an admsson t rcmans subordmatcd. ut ths
dcsrc lor thc non-dcsrabc, ths rcsponsbty lor thc ncghbour, ths
substtuton as a hostagc, s thc subj cctvty and unguncss ola subjcct .
rom thc ood to mc, thcrc s assgnato a rcaton that survvcs thc
dcath ol od' Jhc dcath ol od pcrhaps gnhcs ony thc possbty to
rcducccvcryvauc rousngan mpusc to an mpusc arousng a vauc. Jhc
lact that n ts goodncss thc ood dccncs thc dcsrc t arouscs whc
mcnng t toward rcsponsbuty lor thc ncghbour, prcscrvcs JhUULLyGL m
thc nonndllcrcncc olthc ood, whch chooscs mc bclorc wcomc t. t
prcscrvcs tstci to thc pont olcttmg t bc cxcudcd lrom thc anayss,
savc lor thc tracc t cavcs n words or thc objcctvc rcaty' n thoughts,
accordmg to thc unmpcachabc wtncss ol Ocscartcs' Jhrd Mcdtaton.
Jhat n thc rcsponsbty lor anothcr, thc cgo, arcady a scl, arcady
obscsscd by thc ncghbour, woud bc unguc and rrcpaccabc s what
5ustitutim I I 3
conhrms ts cccton. or thc cndton lor, or tc uncondtonaty ol, mc
scl docs not bcgn n thc auto-allccton ola sovcrcgn cgo that woud bc
altcrthccvcnt , `compassonatc' lor anothcr. utcthccontrry thcunguc-
ncss olthc rcspnsbc cgospossbcony in bcng obscssc byanomcr m
thc trauma sullcrcd pror to any auto-dcnthcaton, n an unrcprcscntabIc
corc. Jhc onc allcctcd by thc othcr s an aarchc trauma or an nsptra
tton ol thc onc by thc othcr, and not a causaty strktng mcchacay a
mattcr subj cct to ts cncrg./
9
n ths trauma thc ood rcabsorbs,
rcdccms, thc vocncc olnon-lrccdom. csponstbty s what hrst cnabcs
onc to catch sght oland conccvc olvauc.
What ol thc noton ol hntc lrccdom No doubt thc tdca ol a rcspon
sbty pr to lrccdom, and thc compossbIty l lrccdom and mc othcr
such as t shows tscln rcsponsIty lor anothcr, cnabcs us to conlcr
rrcdubcmcanng to ths noton, wthoutattackng thc dgntyollrccdm
whch s thus conccvcd n ntudc. hat csc can hntc lrccdom mc
HowcanawI bcpartaylrcc How can thc chtcanlrcc cgoundcrgothc
sullcrng that woud comc to t lrom thc non-cgo oc thc hntudc ol
lrccdom sgny thc ncccssty by whch a w to w hnds tscIln a gvcn
stuaton whch ts thc arbtrarncss olthc w Jhat docs not cut nto
thc nhn ol lrccdom cyond what thc stuaton dctcrmncs. n tc
lrccdom, thcrc can thcn bcdscngacd an ccmcnt olpurc lrccdom, whch
mtaton docs not allcct, n onc' s wI . Jhus thc noton oltc lrccdom
rathcr poscs than r

vcs thc probcm ola taton olthc lrccom olthc

w .
Jhc rcsponsbty lor anothcr, an untcd rcsponsbty whch thc
strct book-kccpng ol thc lrcc and non-lrcc docs not mcasurc, rcgurcs
subj cctvty as an rrcpaccabc hostagc. Jhs sbjcctvty t dcnudcs undcr
thc cgo n a passvty ol pcrsccuton, rcprcson and cxpuson outsdc ol
csscncc, nto oncscl. n ths scl, outsdc olsscncc, onc s n a dcathkc
passvty ut n rcsponsbty lor thc othcr lor lc and dcath thc adj cc-
tvcs uncondtona , undccnabc, absoutc tkcon mcanng. Jhcy scrvc to
gualy lrccdom, butwcarawaythcsubstratc,lromwhchthclrcc actarscs
n csscncc. n thc accusatvclorm, whchs a modhcatonolnonomnatvc
lorm, nwhch approach thc ncghbourlorwhom, wthouthavng wshcd
t, havc to answcr, thc rrcpaccabc onc s brought out s'accusc) . Jhs
tc lrccdom s not prmary, s not ntta , but t cs n an tc
rcsponsbtywhcrcthcothcrsnotothcrbccauschc strkcsupaganstand
mtsmy lrccdom, butwhcrchc canaccuscmc to thc pontolpcrsccuton,
bccausc thc othcr, absoutcy othcr, s anothcr onc . Jhat s why
hntc lccdom s no smpy an nhntc lrccdom opcratng n a mtcd hcd.
Jhc w whch t anatcs ws n a passvty t docs notassumc. Andthc
proxmtyolcncghbourntstraumadocsnotonystrkcupaganstmc,
Ftcm cxistcncc tc cthics
butcxatsand ccvatcs mc, and, n thc tcra scnsc olthctcrm, nsprcs mc.
nspraton, hctcronomy, s thc vcry pncuma ol thc psychc. rccdom s
bornc by thc rcsponsbty t coud not shoudcr, an ccvaton and nspra-
ton wthout compaccncy. Jhc lor-thc-othcr charactcrstc ol thc subjcct
can bc ntcrprctcd ncthcr as a gut compcx whch prcsupposcs an initta/
lrccdom , noras a natura bcncvocncc ordvnc `nstnct' , noras somc ovc
or somc tcndcncy to sacrcc. Jhs s gutc thc oppostc ol thc chtcan
conccpton, whcrc a sullcrng duc to thc acton ol thc non-cgo s hrst a
postng ol ths acton ol thc non-cgo by thc cgo.
But n thc rrcpaccabc subj cct , unguc and choscn as a rcsponsbty
and a substtuton, a modc ollrccdom, otoogcay possbc, brcaks thc
unrcndabccsscncc. Substtuton lrccs thc subjcct lrom cnnu , that s, lrom
thc cnchanmcnt to tscl, whcrc thc cgo sullocatcs n tscl duc to thc
tautoogca way ol dcntty, and ccasccssy sccks altcr thc dstracton ol
gamcsand sccp n a movcmcnt that ncvcr wcars out . Jhs bcraton s not
anacton, a commcnccmcnt , norany vcsstudc olcsscnccand olontoogy,
whcrc thc cguaty wth oncscl woud bc cstabshcd n thc lorm ol
scl-conscousncss. An anarchc bcraton, t cmcrgcs, wthout bcng
assumcd, wthout turnng nto a bcgnnng, n ncguaty wth oncscl. ts
brought out wthout bcng assumcd, n thc undcrgong by scnsbuty
bcyon ts capacty to undcrgo. Jhs dcscrbc thc suhcrng and vuncr-
abutyolthc scnsbcas thcathctin "4 Jhc othcrsnmc and n thc mdst
olmy vcry dcnthcaton. Jhc pscty has bccomc at odds wth tscln ts
rcturnto tscl. Jhcscl-accusatonolrcmorscgnawsawayatthccoscdand
hrmcorc olconscousncss, opcnng t, hssonng t. nconscousncss cgua-
ty ancubrumbctwccn thc trauma and thc acts aways rccstabshcd.
Or at cat ths cgubrum s sought n rcccton and ts ]gurcs, athough
thc possbuty ol tota rcccton and ol thc unty ol Mnd, bcyond thc
mutpcty olsous, s not cllcctvcy cnsurcd. ut s not that thc way an
othcr can ol tscl bc n thc samc wthout acnatng t, and wthout thc
cmancpatonolthc samclromtsclturnng nto a savcry to anyonc Jms
wayspossbcccausc,snccan `cmora tmc' , anarchcay,nsubjcc-
tvty thcby-thc-othcr s aso thc lor-thc-othcr. n sullcrng by thc laut ol
thc othcr dawns sullcrng lor thc laut olothcrs, supportng. Jhc lor-thc-
othcr kccps a thc patcncc olundcrgong mposcd by thc othcr. Jhcrc s
substtuuon loranothcr, cxpattonloranothcr. cmorsc s thc tropc olmc
tcra scnsc ol thc scnsbuty. n ts passvty s cllaccd thc dstncton
bcccn bcng accuscd and accusng oncscl.
Jhcrccurrcnccnthcsubjcctsthusncthcrlrccdomolposscsson olscl
by sclm rccctton, northc lrccdom olpaywhcrc takc myscIllor ths or
that, travcrsngavatarsundcrthc carntvamasksolmstory. tsa mattcrol
ancxtgcncy coglromthc othcr, bcyond what savaabcn mypowcrs,
5uastttuttan "
to opcn an unItcd `dcct , n whch thc scII spcnds tscII wthout
countng, IrccIy. AII thc suIIcrng and crucIty oIcsscncc wcghs ona pont
thatsupports and cxpatcsIor t.
sscncc, nts scrousncss asctststcncc tncsscncc, s cvcry ntcrvaI oI
nothngncss that wouId ntcrrupt t. t a strct book-kccmg hcrc
nothng s Iost nor crcatcd. lrccdom s compromscd n ths baIancc I
accounts n an ordcr whcrc rcsponsbItcs corrcspond cxactIy to Ibcrtcs
takcn, whcrc thcy compcnsatc Ior thcm, whcrc tmc rcIaxcs and thcn s
tghtcncd agan aItcr havng aIIocd a dccson n thc ncrvaI opcncd up.
rccdom n thc gcnunc scnsc can bc onIy a contcstaton oI ths book-
kccpng by a gratuty. 1hs gratuty couId bc thc absoIutc dtsttacttan oIa
pIay wthout cnscgucnccs, wthout traccs or mcmorcs, oIa purc pardn.
r, t couId bc rcsponsbIty Ior anothcr and cxpaton.
n cxpaton, on a pont oI thc csscncc thcrc wcghs thc cst oI thc
csscncc, to thc pont oIcxpcIIng t . JhcscII, thc subj ccton orsubjcctvty
oI thc subjct, s thc vcry ovcr-cmphass oI a rcsponbIty Ior crcaton.
KcsponsbIt[rIor thcothcr, Iorwhathas not bcgun n mc s rcsponsbIty
n thcnnoccnccoIbcnga hostagc. MysubsttutonIoranothcrs thctropc
oI a scnsc tha docs not cIong to thc cmprcaI ordcr oI psychoIogcaI
cvcnts, an tn]h/ug or a compasson whch sgnmcs by vrtuc oI ths
scnsc.
? substtuton t s as 8 an that substtuton Ior thc ncghbour s
prduccd. 1hcMsa muItpIcty oIndvduaIs. tsn mc- n mcand
notnanothcr, n mc andnot n an ndvduaton oIthcconccptLgo- that
commncaton pcns. t s who am ntcgraIIy or absoIutcIy cgo, and thc
absoIutc s mybusncss. o onc can substtutchmscIIIormc, who subst-
tutcsmyscIIIor aII . Or, IoncmcanstorcmanwththchcrarchyoIIormaI
Iogc gcnus, spcccs, ndvduaI - t s n thc coursc oIthc nvduaton
oI thc cgo n c that s rcaIzcd thc cIcvaton whch thc cg s Ior thc
ncghbour, sumoncd to answcr Ior hm. hcn ths rcIaton s rcaIIy
tought throug, t sgncs thc wound that cannot hcaovcr oIthc scIIn
tc cgo accuscd by thc othcr to thc pont oIpcrsccuton, and rcsponsbIc
Ior ts pcrsccutor. Subjccton and cIcvaton arsc n pacncc abovc non
Irccdom t s thc subjccton oIthc aIIcgancc to thc Uood.
1hcdsntcrcstcdncssoIthc subjccts a dcsccntorcIcvaton oIthc cgo to
mc. 1hs movcmcnt s not rcducbIc to thc IormaIsm oIthc IogcaI opcra-
tonoIgcncraIzatonorspccmcaton. hIosophy, whchsconsgncdnthc
sad, convcrts dsntcrcstcdncss and tssgnmcatonnto csscncc and, byan
abuscoIIanguagc, to bc surc, says that oIwhch t s but a scant, but oI
whchtmakcstscIImastcrbysayngt, andthcnrcduccstsprctcnsonsm
ncw sad. Jhc subjcct postcd as dcposcd s mc, unvcrsaIzc myscII.
ndthatsaIsomytruth, mytruthoIbcngmortaI, bcIongngtogcncraton
Fom cxistcc to ctbics
and corrupton, whch thc ncgatvty ol thc unvcrsazaton prcsupposcs .
But th conccpt olthc cgo can corrcspond to mc ony nasmuch as t can
sgnly rcponsblty, whch summons mc as rrcpaccabc. Jhat s, n my
ght outolconccpts, whch s not thc navcty orbndncssolnon-thought,
lor postvcly t s rcsponsblty lor my ncghbour. s tmc thc abusvc
conluson ollooshncss wth moraty was dcnounccd. Jhus thcrc s truc
movcmcntbctwccn thc conccptuaty olthccgo andthcpatcnccola rclusa
olconccpts, bctwccn unvcrsaty and ndvduaton, bctwccn mortaty and
rcsponsbty. Jhc vcry dachrony ol truth s n ths atcrnaton. Jhs
ambguty puts conccptsnto gucston nasmuch astshakcsthc vcrydcaol
truth as a rcsut , truth abdng n thc prcscnt wth an as t wcrc mono-
syabc scnsc. Jhc cgo nvovcd n rcsponsbty s mc and no onc csc,mc
wth whom onc woud havc kcd to par up a sstcr sou, lrom whom onc
woud rcgurc substtuton and sacrcc. But to say that thc othcr has to
sacrcc hmscl to thc othcrs woud bc to prcach human sacrmcc `Mc' s
not an nmtablcnuanccolcmcinigkcit that woudbcaddcdn to a bcng
bcongng to tc gcnus `soul' or `man' or ` ndvdua' , and woud thus bc
ommon toscvcrasous, mcn and ndvduas, mangrccprocty possbc
amongthcmlrom thchrst . Jhcugucncssolthccgo, ovchcmcdbythc
othcrn promty, s thcothcrnthcsamc, thcpsychc. utst andno
onc csc, who am a hostagc lor thc thcrs. substtuton my bcng that
bcongs to mc and not to anothcr s undonc, and ts through ths substtu-
ton that am not ` anothcr' , but mc Jhc scl n a bcng s cxacty thc
not-bcng-ablc-to-sp-awaylrom an assgaton that docs not am at any
gcncraty. Jhcrc s no pscty common o mc and thc othcrs `mc' s thc
cxcuson lro ths possbuty olcomparson, as soon as comparson s sct
up. Jhc pscty s thcn a prvucgc or an unjustabc cccton that chooscs
mc and not thc cgo. am unguc and choscn thc cccton s n mc
subj ccton. Jhc conccptuazaton olths ast rclusa olconccptuazaton s
not contcmporancous wth ths rclusa t transcnds ths conccptuazaton.
Jhc transccndcnc scparatng tscllrom thcconsdcraton thatconccptua-
zcs t, thc dachrony olsbj cctvty, s my cntry nto thc proty olthc
ncghbour.
Subjcctvty s bcng hostagc Jhs noton rcvcrscsthcpostonwhcrc thc
prcscncc olth cgo to tscllappcars as thc bcgnnngor asthc concluson ol
phuosophy. Jhs concdng n thc samc, whcrc woud bc an orgn, or,
through mcmory, a covcrng ovcrolthc orgn, ths prcscncc, s, lrom thc
start, undonc by thc othcr. Jhc subjcct rcstng on tscls conloundcd by
wordcss accusaton. or dsoursc twoud havc arcady ost ts trauma-
ttc vtocncc. Jhc accusaton s n ths scnsc pcrsccutn th pcrsccutcd onc
ca no ongcr answcr t . Morc cxact y, t s accusaton whch canot
aswcr, but lor whch cannot dccnc csponsbuty. Arcady thc posto
>1> W
ol thc subjcct s a dcposton, not a g` wwm% t s lrom thc hrst a
substtuton bya hostagc cxpatnglor thc vocnccolthc pcrsccuttontscl.
c havc to conccvc n such tcrms thc dc-substantaton olthc subj cct, ts
dc-rchcaton, ts dsntcrcstcdncss, ts subj ccton, ts subj cctvty. t s a
purc scl, n thc accusatvc, rcsponsbc bclorc thcrc s lrccdom. Whatcvcr
bc thc ways that cad to thc supcrstructurc olsoccty, n j ustcc thc dssym-
mctry that hods mc at odds wth rcgard to thc othcr w md agan a,
autonomy, cguaty.
Jo say that thc cgo s a substtutons thcn not to statcthc unvcrsatyol
aprncpc, thc guddtyolancgo, but , gutc thc contrary, tstorcstorc to
thc sou ts cgoty whch supports no gcncrazaton. Jhc way by whch,
rom ths stuaton, thc ogos arscs to thc cnccptolthc cgopasscs through
thcthrd party./<Jhc subjcctasancgosnotancntty provdcdwthcgoty
as an cdctc structurc, whch shoud makc t possbc to lorm a conccpt ol
t, and makc thc snguar cntty bc ts rcazaton.
Modcrn thumansm, whch dcncs thcprmacy that thc huan pcrson,
lrcc and lor tscl, woud havc lor thc sgnhcaon olbcng, s truc ovcr an
bcyond thc rcasons t gvcs tscl. t ccars thc pacclor subjcttypostng
tscln abncgaton, n sacrhcc, n a substtuton whch prcccdcs tc .
ts nspr ntuton s to havc abandoncd thc dca ol pcrson, goa and
orgn oltscl, n whch thc cgo s st a thng bccausc t s st a bctng.
Strctyspcang, thcothcrsthccnd, ama hostagc, a rcsponsbtyand
substtuton supNortng thc word n thc passvty olassgnaton, cvcn n an
accusng pcrsccuton, whch s undccnabc. Humansm has to bc dc-
nounccd ony

ccausc t s not sulhccnty human.

t bc sad that thc word wcghs wth a ts sullcrng and a ts laut
on thccgo bccausc ths cgosa lrcc conscousncss,capabcolsympathand
compasson: W t bc sad that ony a lrcc bcng s scnstcto thc wcght
ol thc word tht wcghs on t: Lct us admt lor a momcnt a lrcc cgo,
capabc oldccdng lor sodarty wth othcrs . At cast t w bc rccogncd
that ths lrccdom has no tmc to assumc ths urgcnt wcght, and that
conscgucntytsaschcckcdorundoncundcrthc sullcrng. tsmpossbc
to vadc thc appc ol thc ncghbor, to movc away. Onc approachcs thc
othcrpcrhaps n contngcncy, but hcncclorth onc s not lrcc to moc away
rom hm. Jhc assupton olthc suhcrng and thc laut olnothcr nowsc
gocsbcyond thc passvty tsa passon. Jhscondtonoruncodtonaty
olbcng4 hostagcw thcn atcastbcan csscnta modatyollrccdom, thc
hrst, and not an cmprca accdcnt olthc lrccdom, proud n tscl, ol thc
cgo.
Jo bc surc- but ths s anothcr thcmc my rcsponsbtylor a can d
has tomanlcsttsclaso nmtng tscl. Jhccgo can, nthc namcols
unmtcd rcsponsbty, bc cacd upon to conccrn tscl aso wm tscl.
I I & Ftom cxistcncc to ctbics
Jhc lact that thc othcr, my ncghbour, s aso a thrd party wth rcspcct to
anothcr, who s aso a ncghbour, s thc brth ol thought, conscousncss,
justcc and phosophy. Jhc unmttcd nta rcsponsbty, whch justhcs
ths conccrnlor justcc, loroncscl, andlorphuosophy can bc lorgottcn. n
ths lorgcttng conscousncss s a purc cgosm. ut cgosm s ncthcr hrst
nor ast . Jhc mpossbty olcscapng od, thc advcnturc ol onah nd-
catcs that od s at cast hcrc not a vauc among vaucs. pronouncc thc
wordod wthoutsupprcssng thcntcrmcdarcsthatcadmctothsword,
and, l can say so, thc anarchy ol hs cntry nto dscoursc, just as
phcnomcnoogy statcs conccps wthout cvcr dcstroyng thc scallodngs
thatpcrmtonctocmbuptothcm. ) Jhcmpossbtyolcscapngodcs
m thc dcpths olmysclas a scl, as an absoutc passvty. Jhs passvty s
not ony thc possbuty oldcath n bcg, thc possbuty olmpossbty. t
s an mpossbuty pror to that possbty, thc mpossbty ol sppng
away, absoutc susccptbuty, gravtywthout any lrvoty. ts thbrthol
a mcanng n thc obtuscncss ol bcng, ol a ` bcng abc to dc' subjcct to
sacrmcc.
Jhcsclnasmuchas,nanapproach, tabrogatcsthccgosmolpcrscvcr-
ancc n bcng, whch s thc mpcrasm olthccgo, ntroduccs mcanng nto
bcng. Jhcrc coudbc nomcanngnbcngwhchcoudnotbcmcasurcd to
bcng. ortaty rcndcrs scnsccss any conccrn that thc cgo woud havc lor
ts cxstcncc and ts dcstny. t woud bc but an cvason n a word wthout
ssuc, and aways rdcuous . o doubt nothng s morc comca than thc
conccrn that a bcng hasloran cxstcncc t coud not savc lrom ts dcstruc-
ton, n Jostoy' s tac whcrc an ordcr lor cnough boots lor twcnty-hvc
ycarssscntbyoncthatw dc thcvcrycvcnnghcgvcshsordcr. Jhats
ndccd as absurd as gucstonng, n vcw olacton, thc stars whosc vcrdct
woud bc wthout appca . ut through ths magc onc sccs that thc comca
s aso tragc, and that t bcongs to thc samc man to bc a tragc and a
comca pcrsonagc.
Jhc approach, nasmuch ast sa sacrmcc, conlcrsa scnscondcath. nt
thc absoutc snguaty ol thc csponsbc onc cncompasscs thc gcncraty
o gcncrazaton ol dcath. n t lc s no ongc mcasurcd by bcng, and
dcathcannoongc ntroducc thc absurd nto t Ocathgvcsc topcasurc,
m whch lor thc spacc ol an nstant thc tragcomcdy s lorgottcn, and
whch woud bc dchncd y ths lorgcttng. ut dcsptc a ts advcrsty, t s
accordcd wth thc lorthcothcr ol approach o onc s so hypocrtca as
to cam that hc has takcn lrom dcath ts stng, not cvcn thc promscrs ol
rcgons. ut wc can havc rcsponsbtcs and attachmcnts through whch
dcath takcs on a mcanng. Jhat s bccausc, lrom thc start , tc othcr allccts
us dcsptc ourscvcs.
lonchadthcrght to rctan onc trat lrom a phosophca systcm and
y5g
ncgIcct aII thc dctaI oIt archtccturc cvcn though thcc arcno dctas n
archtccturc, accordng to aIry' proIound dctum, whch s cmtncntIy
vaId Ior phIoophcaI contructon, whcrc thc dctaI aIonc prcvcnt coI-
apsc) , wc wouId thnk hcrc oI antm, whch d a mcanng to mc
human wthout mcaurngt byotoIogy and outdcoIthcqucton What
thcrc hcrc ^ that oncwouId Ikc to takc to bc prcImnary, outsdc oI
thc mmortaIty and dcath whch ontoIogc run up agatnst . Jhc Iact that
mmortaIty and thcoIogy couId not dctcrmc thc catcgorcaI tmpcratvc
gnhc thc novcIty oI thc Lopcrntcan rcvoIutton. a cnsc that s not
mcaurcdbybcngornotbcng butbcngon thccontrarydctcrmncdon
thcba oIcnc.

Jhs chaptcr was thc gcrm ot Otbcmtsc tban BctQ. ts prncpaI cIcmcnts wcrc
prcscntcd na pubhc Iccturc at thcacuItc Lncrstzrc San-ous rsscIs, on
)#Nocmbcr &/ Jhat taIk was a contnuaton ot thc Iccturc cnttIcd 'lroxmty'
gvcn thc prcvous day, and wmch was substantaIIy thc sc tcxt as thc study
cntIcd 'gagcctlroxtc subscgucntIy pubhshcdn thc sccondcdtonot our
bookLn dccoucrant /'cxtstmcc accc Husscr/ ct Hctdcggcr ,ars rn, &v ; Jhctwo
Icctucs ' Lalroxmtc' and ' La Substtuton' wcrcgvcnthcgcncraIItIc'Au-dcdc
'sscncc. ' Jhc xt ot Ihc sccond IccturcpubIshcdn thc Hcuc Ibt/osobtquc dc
Loutatn ,AugusI, &/,v rcprcscntcd a mshcd vcrson ot thc Iccturc. Lcrt
cvcIopmcnIs havc bccn tormuaIcd n a morc scvcrc macr tor thc rcadcr, who
cangoturIhcrIhanIhchsIcncr. NotcswcrcaIsoaddcd. lntsprcscnttormthattcxt
as bccnturIhcr modhcd.
lt Ihc anarchcaI wcrc not sgnaIIcd n conscousncss, t wouId rcgn n ts own
way. JhcaarcmcaIspossbIconIywhcncontcstcd byIanguagc, wmchbcIrays,
but convcys, ts anarchy, wthouI aboIshng I, by an abusc ot Ianguagc.
5 s Ihcpagcs Bcrgson has wrItcn, nCrcattcc Lcoutton, conccrnng Ihc nouon
ot dsordcr, whch dcscrvc cIosc aIIcnIon. Subvcrson and rcvoIuton rcmn
wthn ordcr. Jhs s to bc comparcd wth HcgcI. whaI n Ihc cxpcrcncc ot a
ncw ob( cct` appcars to conscousncss as thc `annhIaIon ot a pror ob( cct' , thc
phIosophcr, who can scc what s `bchnd conscosncss`, sccs as Ihc rcsuIt ot a
gcncss, somcIhng comng to brth n thc sac daIccIcaI ordcr ct. HcgcI,
Ihcnomcnolo o] 5tnt, p. y .h%g Jhc movcmcnt ot gcncss travcrscs Ihc Statc
and sscs n absoIuIc nowIcdgc, whch tuIIs conscousncss. Jhc nIon ot
anarchy wc arcnIroducng hcrchas a mcanngprortothcpoItcaIorantpoIt-
tcaI) mcanng crrcntIy atIrbutcd Io t . t wouId bc scIt-contradctory to sct t
up as a prncpIc n IhcscnscIhatanarchsts undcrstand t). Anarchycannotbc
sovcrcgn, Ikc an . lI can onIy dsturb thc StaIc - but n z rzdczI wzy,
makng possbIc momcnts ot ncgaton uttbout an armaton. Jhc Statc thcn
cannot sct tscIt up as a WhoIc. ut, on thc othcr hand, anarchy can bc statcd
I2O cxistcncc to ctbics
Yct dsordcr has an rrcducbc mcanng, as rclusa ol synthcss. Ll. p. I I ,
notc .
3 Yctths sannabtywhchssatd. Anarchydocs notrctgn, us rcmans
ambguty, ncngma, and cavcs a tracc whIch spccch, thc paolcxprcsson,
sccks to statc. but thcrc s on!y a tracc.
N tsarcatonshpwthoutanyaprorwchascslrom a spontancty, notlrom
that whch ontoo rcqurcs tn a tc thought. or, n ordcr to wccomc
cnttcs mtc thought, a purc rcccptvty, must opcratc as a ansccndcnta
magnaton, lormatvc ol thc magnay.
Y tsnot a qucston hcrc oldcsccndngtowardthcunconscous,whIch, dcmcdn
a purcy ncgatvc way wth rclcrcncc to tc conscous, prcscrvcs mc structurc ol
scl-owcdgc whatcvcr bc thc uncxcctcd racauons mat woud thcn com-
patc ths strcturc), ol a qucst ol scl, though t bc cd astray on obstructcd
bywas. Jhc unconscous rcmaIns a pay ol conscousncss, and psychoaysIs
mcans to cnsurc ts outcomc, aganst thc troubcs that comc to tlromrcprcsscd
dcsrcs, n th namc ol thc vcry rucs ol hs gamc. Jhc pay ol conscousncss
docs ndccd nvovc rucs, but rrcsponsbbty n thc gamc s dccacd to bc a
sckncss. Jhc pay ol conscousncss s a gamc par cxcccncc, `transccndcnta
magnaton' , but as such sourcc ol phantasms.
Wc contnuc to usc thc tcrm cssmcc, ucrscorcd, as an abstract noun olacton
lorbcngas dstngushcd lromcnttcs n thcamphboogy olbcngand cnutcs.
7 Ll. Ln dcouvrant /'cxtstmcc avcc Husscr/ ctHctdcggcr, nd cdn. pp. I 7-3.
, hcguartyolthcsubj cct snot tc unqucncso!4 haax. or t snotduc
to somc dstnctvc quaty, kc mgcrprnts, that woud makc ol t an ncom
parabc untcum, and, as a prncpc ol ndvduaton, makc ths unty dcscrvc a
prpcr noun, and hcncc a pacc n dscoursc. Jhc dcntty ol thc oncscls not
thc ncrta ola quddty ndviduatcd by an utmac spccHc dlcrcncc nhcrcnt
n thc body or n charactcr, or by thc unqucncss ol a natura o hstorca
con uncturc t s n thc unqucncss ol somconc sumoncd
2 cdcggcr' s anayss dcscrbcs anxcty ovcr thc mtaton olbcng. nasmuch as
ths anayss s not to bc rcad as smpy psychoogca or anthropoogca , t
tcachcs us that lorm whch n our phosophca tradton dcHncs a bcng) s
aays too sma lor a bcng Ocmuon, whch, as lorm, `lormosty' , s bcauty,
ustrc and appcarng, s aso stranguaton, that s, angush. Jhc sproporton
bctwcn Bcng and ts phcnomcnaty, thc lact that Bcng s crampcd n ts
manlcstaton, woud thcn bc roduccd n anthropoogca lorm n a Hntc bcing
undcrstood as bcng-cxstng-lo-dcath. Jhc mcasurc ol a dctcrmnaton wod
thusbc thc cv mcasurcmcntola Ncssus tunc. but anxcty as bcng-lordcaths
asothchopctorcachthc dccp olnon-bcng. Jhc possbty oldcvcrancc and
thc tcmptaton to sucdc) arscs n dcath anxcty. kc nothngncss, dcath s an
opcnncss nto whch, aong wth a bcng, thc anxcty vcr ts dchnton s
cngulcd. but, on thc othcrhand, anxctyasthc tghtncssolthc `gonglort nto
luncss' , s thc rccurrcncc ol thc oncscl, but wthout cvason, wtout shrnk
tng, that is, a rcsponsbty strongcr than dcath - wch ato n thc Ihacdo
alHrms n hs own way, n condcmnng sucdc b) .
!U Jhc noton olthc hthcr sdc s ndccd j ustcd by ths tcxt lrom thcIatdcs.
>1>
Jhcrc squcstcncla wthdrawa, a rccuscn, whch dccs nctgccutsdcclthc
wcrd n a chmcrca cllcrt tc sct tsclup as a lcrcc lrccd lrcm thc wcrd d
cndcwcdwthsprtuapcwcrswhchmaytrumphcrla - whchcud st bc
tc bc a prcscncc n thc wcrd and n thc hstcry cl a statc cr a church. Jhat
wcud amcunt tc a hypcrbcc cl cntccgca, cgca d wchc rcatcns,
ampcatcn cl crdcr, cvcn thcugh thc hypcrbcc rcscrts tc thc supcratvc cl
thc bcycnd bcng. Jrumphs and laurcs prcsuppcsc pcrscna lrccdcm, d,
ccnscqucny, an l cndcwcd wth pchtca d rchgcus scvcrcgny cr pchtca
prncpaity. Onthchthcrsdcclthat, thcl stscl, dccsncbccngccmgcr
hstcry, s ncthcr an cllcct at rcst ncr a causc n mcvcmcnt. Jhc rccuscn 'm
cnc' s cwn skn' , thc prcscnt cssay wshcs tc suggcst, s a mcvcmcnt l thc cgc
ntctsc, cutsdcclcrdcr. Jhcdcparturclrcms subtcrrcangs,lrcmhc
pcnum ntc thc pcnum, cads tc a rcgcn n whch a thc wcght cl bcmg s
bcrnc and

uppcrtcd n thc cthcr.

4 4 Jhc bcdy s ncthcr an cbstacc cppcscd tc thc scu , ncr a tcmb that mprscns
t, but tat by whch thc scl s susccptbty tscl. lncarnatcn s an cucmc
passvty, tc bc cpcscd tc sckncss, sullcrng, dcath, s tc bc cpcscd tc
ccmpassn, and, asa scl, tcthcglt thatccsts. Jhccncsclscnthssdcclthc
zcrc cl ncrta and ncthngcss, n dchct cl bcng, n tscland nct n bcng,
wthcut a placc tc lay its hcad, in thc nc-grcunds, and thus wthcut ccndtcn.
As sucht w! bc shcwn tc bc thcbcarcr clthcwcrd, bcarng t , sullcrng t,
blcckingrcst and lacking a lathcrland lt is thc ccrratc ol a pcrsccutcn, a
substtuto lor thc othcr
<5 Jms lrccdom cnvcopcd n a rcsponsbty wmch t docs nct succccd n
shoudcrng thc way olbcng a crcaturc, thc unmtcd passvity cla scl, thc
uncontonabty ol a scl.
<. amcntatons , . .
<N n trcpcv' s drcam, thrcc rcpcatcd, n ushkn's Bons Oodunm, thc lasc
Omtr catchcs sght ol ms luturc sovcrcgnty n thc cquvoca laughtcr ol thc
pcopc. ` lrom abovc Moscow appcarcd to mc kc an anth, bclcw thc
pcopc wcc bong and pontcd to mcand laughcd. l was ovcrcomc wth shamc
and lcar and n throwng myscl down hcad hrst , l awokc. aughtcr at thc
bottom ol thc gcsturc that ponts mc out, shamc and lcar cl thc cgo, thc
`accusatvc' whcrc cvctmng dcsgnatcs mc and assgns mc, awakcmng n a
hcad!ong la- a ths s thc uncontonatyolthc sbj cctbcmndtsscvcrcgn
ty
4 Y Lvcry dca olcvason, ascvcy dca olma!cdcon wcghng cnadcny,arcady
rcsupposcs thc cgo consttutcd on thc bass ol thc scl and alrcady lrcc.
4/ Jhcpassvty clthcscln thcntsctdccsnct cntcrntothclramcwcrk clthc
dstncton bctwccn atttudc and catcgc. Jhc catcgo, as Lrc cl wshcs, s
cbtancdby rcctcn cn anatttudc,whchs a bcraticn lrcm thcatttudcand
ts partcuarty. y comparson wth thc passvty cr patcncc cl tc Scl, thc
atttudc s arcady lrccdcm and pcstcn. Jhc passvty clthc scl prcccdcs hc
vcluntary act that vcnturcs toward a pro( cct, and cvcn thc ccrtanty whch n
truth s concdng wth tscl. Jhc oncsc!ls prcr to sclconcdng.
4 ldcntty nct cl a scu n gcncral, but cl mc, lcr n mc acnc nncccncc c bc
I22 Ftom cxistcncc toctbics
accuscd wtthout absurdtty Jo accusc thc tnnoccncc olthc othcr, to ask ol thc
othcr morc han hc owcs, ts crtmtna.
l8 A thc dcscrtpttonsolthc lacc tn thc thrcc ma studtcs ol hc sccond cdttton ol
our book Ln dcouvrant /'cxtstcncc avcc Hussn/ ct Hctdcggcr whch dcscrtbc thc
vcry ambtgutty or cntgma ol anarchy - thc tctty oltntty tn thc lacc as thc
traccolthc wtthdrawa whtch thctnnttcuatnnttccllccts bclorc comtng, and
whtch addrcsscs thc othcr to my rcsponstbttty - rcmatn dcscrtpttons ol thc
nonthcmattabc, thc anarchtca, and, conscqucnty, do not cad to any thco-
ogtcaI thcsts . Lanagc can nonc mc css spcak ol tt , tl ony by an abusc ol
anguagc, and tt thuscons thc lact that tt ts tmposstbc lor thc anarc

tca to
bc constttutcd as a sovcrctgnty- whtch tmbcs mc uncondtttonatty olanarchy.
but thc hod ol anguagc on thc anarchtca ts not a mastcry, lor othcrwtsc
anarchy woud bc subordnatc to thc arch ol consctousncss. Jhts hod ts thc
struggc and pan ol cxprcsston. Whcncc comcs dscoursc and thc ncccsstty ol
thcarcholsovcrctgnty and olthc Statc, wc sha spcak olthat lurthcr chaptcr
V ol Uthmtsc than Bctng, pp. 5l. t ts ccar aso that n our way ol
tntcrprcttng stgnlytngncss, thc practtca ordcr and thc rctgtous whtch ts tn
scparabc lrom thc practca) s dchncd by thc anarchtca. Jhcoogy woud bc
posstbc ony as thc contcstatton olthc purcy rcbgtous, and corms t ony by
tts larcs or tt struggcs.
@& nc coud bctcmptcd to takcsubstttutton tobcthc bctng olthccnttty that ts thc
cgo. And, o bc surc, thc htthcr stdc olthc cgo cnds ttsclto our spcang ony
byrclcrrtng to bctng, lrom whch ttwtthdraws and whtch tt undocs . Jhc satd ol
anguagc aIways says bctng. but tn thc momcnt

l an cntgma anguagc aso

brcaks wtth tts own condttons, as tn a sccpttca saytng, and says a stgncatton
bclorc hc cvcnt, a bclorc-bctng. Lvcnts happcn to subjccts that undcrgo or
provokc thcm. Jhc vcrbs by whtch thc cvcnts arc satd and thc nouns by whtch
thc subj ccts arc sad arc lormabcd, cvcn thc vcrb bctng, cvcn thc noun bctng.
Jhc homonym ts hcrc an cxtrcmc ampmboogy tn whtch thc dtllcrcncc rcsts not
on a comon gcnus, but unqucy on thc comonncss olthc word. Languagc
thusshowsttscltobcsomcthtng quttc dtllcrcntlromadoubbngupolthoughts .
Jhc oncscand substttutton do not cntcr tnto tms rcwork. Jhc dccctton or
acady thc dclcat olthc tdcnttty olthc cgo, whtch can may bc sad to bc thc
cvcnt olthc oncsc, prcccdcs cvcry cvcnt undcrgonc or conductcd by a subjcct.
n thc htthcr stdc ts xprcsscd prcctscy tn tc tcrm anchy. t ts tdcnuq
undonc to thc t , wtmoutbctngrcmadctnthcothcr, prtortoa trsubstantta-
uon tnto anothcr avatar and prtor to thc puttngtn pacc oan othcr. orttdocs
not rcst tn thc othcr, but rcmatns m ttsc wtthout rcst. Jhcrc ts a rcstuon
wtth no cscapc osstbIc, whtch, as mc trcpaccabc onc ttscl ts untqucncss.
B Jhcvortc - sucrtng othcothcr, my pttyor ms sucrtng, ms pan ovcr my
ptq, my patn ovcr hts pan, ctc. - stops at mc. Jhc ts what tnvovcs onc
movcmcnt morc tn thts ttcrauon. y sucrtn ts thc cynosurc oa c sucr-
tngs - and oa thc lauts, cvcnothc automyrsccutors,wmchounts to
sulcrm thc uatc rsccuuon, sucrmg absoutcy Jms ts nt a purtytn
c ol sucrng, whtch magtcay woud count hcrc Jms ccmcnt o a purc
orn , or no, tn sucrm, ts c assvtty osucrm wmc rcvcnts ts
y5
rcvcrttng tnto suhcrtng zssumcd, t nwhtch thc tor-thc-othcr otscnstbthty, thzt
ts, tts vcry scnsc, wouId bc znnuIIcd. Jhts momcnt ot thc 'tor nothtng' tn sut-
crtng ts thc surpIus ot nonscnsc ovcr scnsc by whtch tc scnsc ot suttcrtng ts
posstbIc. Jhc tnczrnztton ot thc scIt zndtts posstbtIttcs ot gztuttous pztn must
bc undcrstood tn tunctton ot thc zbsoIutc zccuszttvc chzrzctcrtsttc ot thc scIt, z
pzsstvtty prtor tozII pzsstvtty zt thc bottom ot mzttcr bccomtng hcsh. ut tnthc
znzrchtc chzrzctcr ot suttcrtng, znd prtor tozII rchcctton, wchzvc to cztch stght
ot z suttcrtng ot suttcrtng, zsuhcrtngbcczusc ot whzt tspttttuI n my suttcrtng,
whtch ts z suttcrtng 'tor od' who suhcrs trom my suttcrtng. Jhrc ts zn
znzrchtc trzcc ot od tn pzsstvtt.
5@ ubsttIutonopcrztcs tn thc cntrmIs ot thc scIt, rcndtng tts tnwzrdncss, putttng
tts tdcnttIy out ot phzsc znd msrupttng tIs rcrrcncc. Yct thts occurs tn thc
tmposstbtIttytor mctocvzdcsubsttutton, whtchcontcrsuntgucncsson thtscvcr
tztItng tdcntIy ot thc oncscIt SubstttuIton ts z communcztton trom thc onc to
thc oIhcr znd trom thc oIhcr to thc onc wtIhout thc two rcIzttos hzvtng thc
szmc scnsc I is not Itkc Ihc rcvcrstbthty ot thc twowzy rozd opcn Io thc
ctrcuIztton ot ntormztton, whcrc Ihc dtrcctton is tndtttcrcnt Wc hzvc shown
zbovc this dtssymmctry ot communcztton tn Ihc znzIysts ot proxmty. I ts thc
proty ot thc thtrd pzrt ct. chzptcr S ot 44 4 thzt tntro-
duccs, wtth Ihc ncccssttcs ot justtcc, mczsurc, thcmzttzztton, zppczrtng znd
( ustcc. I ts on thc bzsts ot thc scIt znd ot substttutton Ihzt bctng wtII hzvc z
mcznin Bctng wtII bc nontndthcrcnt, noI bcczusc tt wouId bc Itvtng or zn-
Ihropomorphtc, buI bcczusc, posIuIztcd by justtcc whtch ts contcmporzncous-
ncss orcoprcscncc, spzccbcIongs tothcscnscot my rcsponstbtItty tor thcothcr.
Jhc cvcrywrc ot spzcc s Ihc trom cvcrywhcrc ot tzccs thzt conccrn mc znd
puI mc tn gucstton, dcspttc thc tndttcrcncc thzt sccms to prcscnt ttscIt to
justicc.BctngwIIhzvczmcznngzs zuntvcrsczndthcunttyotthcuntvcrscwII
bc tn mc zs subjccI to bctng. Jhzt mczns Ihzt thc spzcc ot thc unvcrsc wII
mznttcst tIscIt zs thc dwcIItng ot Ihc othcrs. lt ts tnzsmuch zs tI ts tnhzbttcd by
Ihc othcrs thzt Iook zt mc thzt th prc-gcomctrtczI ctdos ot spzcc ts dcscrtbcd. l
support c untvcrsc. Jhc scIt docs not onIy torm thc unty ot humzn soctcty,
whtch ts onc tn my rcsponstbtItty. hc unty ot bctng hzs to do wtth thc cIt.
55 Lt. chzptcr S 5
5 HcrconchzstodcnounccthcsusptctonthztobjccttvtsmczstsovcrzIIphtIosophy
ot subjcctvtIy, zndwhtch constststnmczsurmgand controhng thc cgobyhzt
ts objccttvcIy obscrvzbIc. Such z posttton ts posstbIc, but mby. vcn t thc
cg wcrc but z rchcctton tormg zn tIIusto znd contcnttng tscIt wtth tasc
scbIznccs, ttwouIdhzvczstgnczonotttsownprcctscIyzssposstbtyot
gutttn mc objccttvc d untvcrsa rdcr znd zbdg tsc. tg c
objcctvc ordcr ts posstbIc tn thc dtrcctton ota rsponsbhty bcyond trccdom as
wcII zs towzrd thc trccdom wtthout rcsponsbtIty ot pIzy. h co ts zt thc
crossrozds. ut to gut c objcctvc ordcr to o n oncscIt towmd mc ras-
smc ot szcrthcc d dczth, to cntcr upon thc subjccttvc ground, ts not smc-
thmg thzt hzppcns by czprtcc, but ts possbIc oy undcr thc wctht ot mc
rcsponstbthtcs.
f Jhus thcoIogtczI Iznguzgc dcstroys thc rchgtous sttuauon ottrznsccndcncc. hc
Fmm cxistcncc tactbics
ntc prcscnts tscll anarchcally, but thcmatzatcn lcscs thc anarchy whch
alcnccan accrcdt t. Languagc abcutUcd rngs lalsccrbcccmcsamyth, thats,
can ncvcr bc takcn litcrally.
(- rcxmty, cbscsscn and subcctvty as wc havc cxprcsscd thcm arc nct rcduc-
blc tc phcncmcna cl ccnsccusncss . ut thcr un-ccnsccusncss , nstcad cl
gvng cvdcncc cl a prcccnsccus stagc cr a rcprcsscn which wculd cpprcss
thcm, scnc wth thcrcxccptcn lrcm tctalty, that s, thcrrclusal clmanlcsta
tcn. nasmuch as csscncc s nct scparablc lrcm cxpcstcn, and thus lrcm thc
dcalty clthc lcgcs and thc kcrygmatc prncpalty, this cxccptcn s ncn-bcng
cr anarchy, prcr tc thc stll cntclcgcal altcrnatvc cl bcng and ncthingncss ,
prcr t c csscncc. Ncnccnsccusncss s t cbc surc charactcrstc clmcchancal
phcncmcnacr thc rcprcsscn clpsychic stucturcs . rcm ths ccmcs thc prctcn
scnclmcchasm cr psychclcgsmtc uvcrsalty. utthc ncn-ccnsccus can bc
rcad n a dillcrcnt way cn thc bass cl ts traccs , and undc thc catcgcrcs cl
mccansm. Jhc ncn-ccnsccus s undcrstccd as thc ncn-vcluntary cvcnt cl
pcrsccutcn, which I pcrsccutcn brcakscllcvcry usthcatcn, cvcry apclcgy,
cvcry lcgcs . Jhis rcducticn tc slcncc s a passvty bcncath cvcry matcral
passty. Jhs absclutc passvty bcncath thc ncutralty cl thngs takcs cn thc
lcrm cl ncarnatcn, ccrpcrcty - susccptblty tc pain, cutragc and unhapp-
ncss. t hcars n ts susccptblity thc tracc cl ths , cl thmgs, as thc
rcscnsblty lcr that cl which thcrc was nc wll , n thc pcrsccutcd cnc, n
pscty, that s, as rcspcnsblty lcr thc vcry pcrsccutcn t sullcrs .
(. l cbscsscn s sullcrng and ccntrarty, t s thatthc altrusm cl subcctvty-
hcstagc s nct a tcndcncy, s nct a natural bcncvclcncc, as n thc mcral phlc-
scphcs cl lcclng. t s aganst naturc, ncn-vcluntary, nscparablc lrcm thc
pcssblc pcrsccutcn tc whchncccnscntsthnkablc, anarchc. Jhc pcrsccutcn
rcduccs thc cgc tc tscll, tc thc absclutc accusativc n whch thcrc s putcd tc
thc cgc a lault t has nct ccmmttcd cr wllcd, and whch ccnlcunds t m ts
lrccdcm. Lgcsmandaltrusmandpcstcrcrtcrcspcnsbhty, whchmakcsthcm
pcssblc. Lgcsm s nct a tcrm clthc altcrnatvc clwhch altrusm wculd bc thc
cthcr tcrm, lrccdcm chccsmg n ndllcrcncc Jhc tcrms arc nct cl thc sc
crdcr, but cnly thc cthcal quacatcn hcrc distngushcs thc cqvalcnts. ut
valucs arc vahd bclcrc lrccdcm. rcspcnsbhty prcccdcs t . crsccutcn s a
trauma, vclcncc par cxccllcncc wthcut warmng cr a prcr , w cut pcssblc
alcgy, wthcut lgcs. crsccuticnlcads backtca rcsgnatcn nct ccnscntcd tc,
and ccnscqucntly crcsscs a nht cl unccnsccusncss. Jhat s mc scnsc cl thc
unccnsccus, mght nwhich thc rcvcrtng clmc cgc ntc tscll undcr thc traa
cl pcrsccutcn cccurs , a passvty mcrc passvc stll th cvcry passvty cn thc
sdc cl dcntity, rcspcnsbhty, substtutcn.
] crhaps thc nctcn cl anarchy acccunts lcr mc nctcn cl wcrth, whcsc dcn-
scn s sc dilhcult tc dstingush lrcm thc bcng cl cntitcs Jc bc wcrth s tc
'wcgh' cn thcsubcct , but cthcrwsc than mcway a causc wcghs cn"4 cllcct, a
bcng cn thc thcught tc whch t prcscnts tscll, an cnd cn mc tcndcncy cr thc
wll t sclicts. What dccs this 'cmcsc' mcan Wc mat wcrm gvcs rsc
tc a susccptblty mcapablc cl mcmang t, that s , a susccpubhty whch
cactassumcwhattrcccvcs, butwhch, nsptccltscll, bcccmcs rcspcnsblc
5u|stitution I?J
lcr t . Valuc n ts crgnal radatcn rcndcrs ' purc' cr 'mpurc' bclcrc any
ntcntcnal mcvcmcnt , wthcut thcrc bcng a lcc atttudc tcward vauc that
cculd bc takcn up. Jhc dcath cl thc cthcr makcs mc mpurc tcugh ts
prcximty, and cxpans thc No/t mc tangnc. Jhat s nct a phcncmcncn cl thc
mystcal mcntaty, but anncllaccabcmcmcntwhch cncucnclvaucbrngs
us back tc.
Z8 Ll. 'Lngmc ct phncmnc' ndcouvrant /'cxtstcncc avccHussn/ctHctdcggcr,
Znd cdn, pp. ZU3 - I .
Z Ll. chaptcr S scct. 3 . 0 cannct dctach mysclllrcm |hc scl, that s , suspcnd thc
rcspcnsblty that s ncumbcnt cn mc and cn nc cnc clsc, ndcpcndcntly clthc
qucsticns and answcrs cl lrcc dalcguc, which pcrsccutcn parayzcs wthcut
annullng rcspcnsblty, whcrcas 0 can pardcn cthcrs n thcraltcrty nasmuch
asthcyarcsubsumcdundcrthcccnccptclthccgc. Hcrcthcrcsa prcrtyclthc
scll bclcrc all lrccdcm cr ncnlrccdcm) .
1rans/atcd 0] A/honso Ltngts