existence and existents

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EXISTENCE AND EXISTENTS

by EMMANUEL LEVINAS

translatedby

ALPHONSO LING1S

Kluwer Academic Publishers

Dordrecht/ Boston / London

ABLE !" #!NENS

$ 1978, 1988 Kluwer Academic Publishers

All rights reserved, including the right to translate or to

reproduce this work or parts thereof in any form

ISBN %& '() '&(* +irst printing 1978, reprinted in 1988 with minor corrections!

Printed in "reat #ritain

E,ISEN#E AND E,ISENS

-ANSLA!-.S IN-!DU#I!N

P-E"A#E

Introduction0 he E1istent and the -elationshi2 with E1istence

#3APE- 4 he -elationshi2 with E1istence and the Instant

45 3E -ELAI!NS3IP 6I3 E,ISEN#E

'5 "AI7UE AND 3E INSAN

#3APE- ' he 6orld

45 INENI!NS

'5 LI73

#3APE- 8 E1istence 6ithout a 6orld

45 E,!I#ISM

'5 E,ISEN#E 6I3!U E,ISENS

#3APE- ( he 392ostasis

45 INS!MNIA


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'5 P!SII!N

85 !N 3E 6A: ! IME

#3APE- ; #onclusion

#!NENS


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85 !n the 6a9 to ime 5555555555555 *;

#h;5 #onclusion 5555555555555555555 %)

TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION*

A erball9C that isC their wa9 o< bein=C the internal 2rocesses or mo>ements b9 which the9 ta?e e 2henomena it re@uires an e1ce2tional

2erce2ti>eness and descri2ti>e s?ill to brin= out what is ha22enin= in them5

6hat a contrast a boo? concerned with such amor2hous obects ma?es with the 2hiloso2h9 that

sets out to elucidate the cate=orial structures o< obecti>e obects 6hat a contrast the stud9 oit9 ma?es with the e1istential 2hiloso2h9 that not onl9C li?e classical

transcendental 2hiloso2h9C o22osin= the reie scienceC set itsel< u2 as a

method to discern a s2ontaneit9 at the core o< the human essenceC but ar=ued that the human

essence is throu=h and throu=h 2ro2ulsi>eC ecstaticC a 2ure elaboration o< a 2roect o< itsel< which

throws itsel< into the world as a >enture and an enter2rise Is not e>er9 consciousness

consciousness o< somethin=C o< some obect Is not the 2rimiti>e ement that could ement o< the s2irit into the world Is not subecti>it9 ust this mo>ement G e1Histence and

not substance

ranscendental 2hiloso2h9 could ta?e it9C erseC underta?es to su22l9 e>er9thin= with a su


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bein= and a reason er9 reasonC ma?in= itsel< the uner9oneC with an answer >alid erseC it ma?es itsel< absolutel9 selit9 comes to a22ear to itsel< as a bein= that 2osits itsel< and answers erei=n in unconditioned sel


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his in>esti=ation does not onl9 ion

beneath the acti>it9 o< consciousnessC wa?e


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the 2ast and that o< the


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another instant is a new be=innin=5 he sense o< the ersal o< rancor G arathustra.s hi=hest ho2e G

onl9 because the ha22iness o< the


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mo>ement toward the 7ood5 he Platonic es as

the =eneral =uideline elo2ments reser>ed in= o< a de2osit or =ien creation e* nihilo which im2lies 2ure 2assi>it9 on the 2art o< the

creatureC im2oses on itC in the instant o< its u2sur=eC the instant o< creationC an act o>er its Bein=C a

subect.s master9 o>er its attribute5 Be=innin= is alread9 this 2ossession and this acti>it9 o< bein=5


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An instant is not one lum2 it is articulated5 his articulation is what distin=uishes it ent o< Bein=C Bein= in =eneralC detached


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conse@uentl9 situates the tra=ic element in e1istence in this er Bein= G horror o< Bein= G ust as 2rimal as an1iet9 o>er death Is

not the


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dramaC beer an9thin= i< it is not alread9 e1istin=5 But the truth o< this dualit9C the

ein=5

he contact with li=htC the act o< o2enin= one.s e9esC the li=htin= u2 o< bare sensationC are

a22arentl9 outside an9 relationshi2C and do not ta?e


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lielo2ment o< biolo=ical science in the 4%th

centur9C has had an incalculable inine decreeC or to ha>e it b9

>irtue o< its >er9 essence its e1istence thus was ta?en to belon= to it in a natural and@uasiHim2erce2tible


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obli=ation o< this contract remains incumbent on us li?e an ine>itable one must5 It

animates the need to act and to underta?eC ma?es that necessit9 2oi=nant5 6eariness is the

im2ossible re


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7ames also be=inC but their be=innin=s lac? seriousness5 he9 are le>it9 itselementsC decisions and

e that basisCand is essentiall9 made o< unrealit95 hat is wh9 theatre has alwa9s been inter2reted as a

=ame G and it is stri?in= that that is ne>er said about a 2oem or a 2aintin=5 It is a realit9

that lea>es no traces the nothin=ness that 2receded it is e@ual to that which ents do not ha>e real time5 A =ame has no histor95 It is a 2arado1ical ?ind o< e1istence

which is not 2rolon=ed into a ha>in=5 In a =ame an instant isC but does not hold on to

itseler reall9 be=an e lee dissi2ated li?e 2ale

clouds intermin=lin=C a


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But does not indolenceC a reer innocentl9 aloneC nor innocentl92oor5 he ?in=dom o< hea>en is alread9 closed to it5 E1istence casts a shadowC which

2ursues it tirelessl95 It does not mer=e with its shadow with the innocence o< Narcissuses2ousin= his own ima=eC but throu=h its shadow learns o< its want o< innocence5 Little

ohn the sim2letonC sim2le or innocentC in the -ussian


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due to the


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word is a =uarantee o< so>erei=nt9 ust because it is s2eech5 S2eech detaches itsel< ol>ed in the instant in which the wor? is reall9 e


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2ro


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alasC we shall 2erha2s ha>e to u2turn the ston9 soil in some un?nown land and to 2ush at the

hea>9 s2ade with our na?ed and bleedin=


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entureC whereb9 an

e1istent arises in e1istence b9 h92ostasis

C#APTER % The &ord

1. INTENTIONS

o ta?e u2 an instant throu=h ees bearin=

adecti>esC bein=s endowed with >alues o


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2hiloso2h9 cones meanin= to all the iner =ets out o< numbers and bein=sC remain conditioned

b9 the secular world5 E>en lo>e is concei>ed as the attraction o< the desirableC and the 9oun=

man and the beautied but ne>er lo>in=C terminus5 he 2roblem o< the 7ood is

alue is in ementC the be=innin= o< an

im2assi>e stateC a calm rest in oneseles its bein= in itself ementC which we

thin? o< as o22osed to itC but which in its une@ui>ocal sincerit9 cones it its

si=nioids it than idealism see?s to5 he world is what is =i>en to us5 his

e12ression is admirabl9 2recise0 the =i>en does not to be sure come e it5

It alread9 has a side b9 which it is the terminus o< an intention5

An intention is not merel9 headed


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his


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to borrowC e the last word5 3e will sa9 that Prince 3amlet is deran=edC and will not

anal9Fe the 2ersona=e an9


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intention5 At some moment e>er9thin= is consummated5 #om2are eatin= with lo>in=C which

occurs be9ond economic acti>it9 and the world5 "or what characteriFes lo>e is an essential and

insatiable hun=er5 o sha?e hands with a


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seems to be at an endC turned u2side down and absurdC needin= to be renewed5 ime

becomes unhin=ed5

Desire is no doubt not selocit9 o< intentions5 !ne does not attribute to it the second

thou=hts o< decei>ersC du2esC or the sated5

As we shall show at onceC liides the

2ossibilit9 o< e1istin= in a withdrawal er to us5 But

are we not conit9 and desire with the theoretical

structure o< ictims o< an unre2entant intellectualism in ha>in= ta?enthe theoretical contem2lation o< e not ta?en account o< that distinctionC it is because in the =i>en which we ha>e

ta?en as our 2oint o< de2arture 2ractice and theor9 meet5 #ontem2lation is turned to an

obect as somethin= =i>en5 It is hence more than 2ure contem2lation it is alread9 aance5 "or the conce2t oarious s2ecies and

in their combinationsC ha>e to be described5 he =i>en is not oursel>es5 he e=o 2ossessesthe =i>enC but it is not o>erwhelmed b9 that 2ossession and ?ee2s a distance eC which is what distin=uishes an intention


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intentionalit9 o< intentions5 he disco>er9 o< this conce2t was certainl9 heraldedC at a

time when the e=o was concei>ed outside o< the worldC as the disco>er9 o< our 2resence

in the worldC o< an en=a=ement in the world contained in the >er9 bein= o< the e=o5 Butthe other side o< the 2henomenon is as im2ortant G that throu=h intentions our 2resence

in the world is across a distanceC that we are se2arated ersedC but remains a distance5 his situation comes to seem lessinsi=nient and a relationshi2C but the

dualit9 in the terms o< this relation deri>es its s2ecies

the I a en is not a wei=ht on our shoulders it is9onderC 2ut downC a wei=ht 2ut in the ba==a=e room5 he e1teriorit9 o< thin=s is tied u2

with the enC but awaits us5 hat is the com2lete conce2t of form! A olume whose e1terior surer the ision and li=ht where>er there is sensible or intellectual

a22rehension0 we see the hardness o< an obectC the taste o< a dishC the smell o< a 2er


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illuminated is com2rehendedC that isC comes es5 Li=ht ma?es obects into a

worldC that isC ma?es them belon= to us5 Pro2ert9 constitutes the world0 throu=h the li=ht

the world is =i>en and a22rehended5 he a22rehension which is at the bottom o< all oursensations is the ori=in o< 2ro2ert9 in the worldC a 2ro2ert9 which is not a burdenC ha>in=

nothin= in common with the 2ossessi>e in e12ressions li?e m9 cross5

Illuminated s2ace all collects about a mind which 2ossesses it5 In this sense it is alread9

li?e the 2roduct o< a s9nthesis5 Kant.s s2ace is essentiall9 a lit u2 s2ace it is in all itsdimensions accessibleC e12lorable5 It lends itsel< to the mo>ement which will absorb itC

the mo>ement si=ht eer9 structure o< the co=ito and o< sense5 hou=ht is alwa9s clarit9 or the dawnin= o< a

li=ht5 he miracle o< li=ht is the essence o< thou=ht0 due to the li=ht an obectC whilecomin= er9 broad sense5 6estern 2hiloso2h9 does indeed ?now oe

described the ent o< a h92ostasis5

But in order to =i>e a more >i>id sense o< the meanin= o< this e>ent we must now directl9broach the central conce2t o< this stud9C that o< anon9mous e1istence5 "or that we must

a22roach a situation in which the


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di>er=es en to us in 2erce2tion5 SoundsC colorsC words reer5 Sound is the noise o< an obectC color adheres to the suresi=nie si=niel o< 2erce2tion so as to reinstate sensationC in detachin= the @ualit9 ent5 6e can also call it the musicalit9 o< sensationC est itsel< o< all obecti>it9 G and conse@uentl9 o< all subecti>it9 G seems

com2letel9 natural5

A musical sound is no lon=er a noise5 And it ma9 enter into relations and s9ntheses that

no lon=er ha>e an9thin= in common with the order o< obects5 #olorsC whose bond with

thin=s is more intimateC detach themsel>es olutionar95 hen the9 enter in their turn into wholes which are

indi


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"in?.s remar?able anal9sis o< the 2erce2tion o< a 2aintin=5 Jin the3ahrbuch fur

Philosophic und phaenomenologische orschunt &45 do not su


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he in>esti=ations o< modern 2aintin= in their 2rotest a=ainst realism come ision5 Parado1ical as it ma9 seemC 2aintin= is a stru==le with si=ht5 Si=ht see?s todraw out o< the li=ht bein=s inte=rated into a whole5 o loo? is to be able to describe

cur>esC to s?etch out wholes in which the elements can be inte=ratedC horiFons in which

the 2articular comes to a22ear b9 abdicatin= its 2articularit95 In contem2orar9 2aintin=thin=s no lon=er count as elements o< a uni>ersal order which the loo? would =i>e itsele5 !n all side erse5 he

2articular stands out in the na?edness o< its bein=5

In the re2resentation o< matter b9 modern 2aintin= this deen on the sures5 "rom a s2ace without horiFonsC thin=s brea? awa9 and are cast

toward us li?e chun?s that ha>e wei=ht in themsel>esC bloc?sC cubesC 2lane trian=lesC

without transitions between them5 he9 are na?ed elementsC sim2le and absoluteC

swellin=s or abscesses o< bein=5 In this en reach a 2aro19sm o< materialit95 Des2ite the rationalit9

and luminosit9 o< these esC a 2aintin= ma?es them e1ist in

themsel>esC brin=s about an absolute e1istence in the >er9


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o< nothin=ness itsel< we shall desi=nate b9 the term there is! he there is, inasmuch as it

resists a 2ersonal e not deri>ed this notion


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silenceC this tran@uilit9C this >oid o< sensations constitutes a muteC absolutel9

indeterminate menace5 he indeterminateness constitutes its acuteness5 here is no

determined bein=C an9thin= can count er to bein=5

he thin=s o< the da9 world then do not in the ni=ht become the source o< the horror oer9 nature o< this emotionC but their e re2resentations accounts ersalit9 o< e1istence e>en in its annihilation5

o ?illC li?e to dieC is to see? an esca2e ilHdoers are

disturbin= to themsel>es li?e 2hantoms5 his return o< 2resence in ne=ationC this

im2ossibilit9 o< esca2in=


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e12erience o< the no e1it e beenC that when the Brains were outC

the man would d9eC and there an end But now the9 rise a=ain 555 and 2ush us er with is im2ossible5

he horror does not come ertremble 555 3ence horrible ShadowC unreal moc?er9 hence 555 It is the shadow o< bein=

that horriealed b9 an1iet9 in 3eide==er.s anal9sis does not consitute the there is! here is horror

o< bein= and not an1iet9 o>er nothin=nessC


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ends u2 with a residual entit95 he dar?ness into which consciousness 2lun=esC which has

2ut out e>er9 =limmerin= o< li=ht in bein=C is also understood as content he e e>ent o< the ni=ht and the there is! It is li?e a densit9 o< the >oidC li?e a

murmur o< silence5 here is nothin=C but there is bein=C li?e a en i< there were nothin=5 It is to e12ress ust

this 2arado1ical e1istence that we ha>e introduced the term there is5 6e want to call attention to

this bein= a densit9C an atmos2hereC a oidC whate>er be the 2ower o< ne=ation a22lied to itsel


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he distinction between attentionC which is turned to obectsC whether the9 be internal or e1ternalC

and >i=ilanceC absorbed in the rustlin= o< the una>oidable bein=C =oes much oid le


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Insomnia thus 2uts us in a situation where the disru2tion o< the cate=or9 o< the substanti>e

desi=nates not onl9 the disa22earance o< e>er9 obectC but the e1tinction o< the subect5

But then what does the ad>ent o< a subect consist in

2. POSITION

Consciousness and the Unconscious

#onsciousness a22eared to stand out a=ainst the there is b9 its abilit9 to es itsel< a dimension o< retreat5 In the Biblewhen onasC the hero o< im2ossible esca2esC in>o?er o< nothin=ness and deathC obser>es

in the midst o< the ra=in= elements the


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thin= is here admirabl9 e1act5 "or the most 2roerin= thou=ht as a substanceC that isC as some thin= that is 2osited5

hou=ht has a 2oint o< de2arture5 here is not onl9 a consciousness o< localiFationC but alocaliFation o< consciousnessC which is not in turn reabsorbed into consciousnessC into

?nowin=5 here is here somethin= that stands out a=ainst ?nowin=C that is a condition


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onesel< shut u2 in one.s immobilit9 li?e an e== in its shell5 his surrender to a base which

also o


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PlaceC thenC beent oents and not to that o< substanti>es5 It is not 2osited it is a

2osition5 It is not situated in a s2ace =i>en beer and be9ond the e1ternal e12erience o< abod9C one insists on its internal e12erienceC on coenesthesis5 #oenesthesis is made u2 oentuall9 a means o< localiFationC but not the

wa9 a man en=a=es in e1istenceC the wa9 he 2osits himselent is to sa9that it is not an instrumentC s9mbol or s9m2tom o< 2ositionC but is 2osition itsel< that in it

is eeC and had 2arts which were more or less e12ressi>e5 he ent5his is one o< the stron=est im2ressions we =et in loo?in= at -odin.s scul2ture5 3is bein=s

are ne>er set on a con>entional or abstract 2edestal5 he e>ent his statues realiFe is muchmore in their relationshi2 with the baseC in their 2ositionC than in their relationshi2 with asoulC a ?nowin= or thou=htC which the9 would ha>e to e12ress5

The Present and the Hypostasis

hrou=h 2osition consciousness 2artici2ates in slee25 he 2ossibilit9 o< restin=C o< bein=

closed u2 in oneselin= onesel< o>er to the baseC o< =oin= to bed5It is contained in consciousness inasmuch as consciousness is localiFed5 Slee2C a

withdrawal into the 2lenumC ta?es 2lace in consciousness as 2osition5 But 2osition is the

>er9 e>ent o< the instant as a 2resent5 Iisa=es the 2resent within timeC it a22ears as the >er9 e>anescence o< bein=5 :et wecan as? whether the e>anescence o< the 2resent is not the onl9 wa9 a subect can arise in

anon9mous bein= and be ca2able o< time5 6e can wonder whether the im2ossible

2ossession o< the 2resent is not lin?ed to the anescenceo< the 2resent that 2ossession itsel< becomes 2ossible5 "or the 2roduction o< an instant oocation5 An instant.s halt is not to be loo?ed


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a=ainst tem2oral destructionC eternit9 does resemble timeC as the course o< what enduresC

o< what is durable5 he instant in which e1istence is both born and dies is in= ima=e oe meanin=5 E>er9

attem2t to =ras2 it ends u2 in a ne=ati>e theolo=9C in that I do not understand it >er9 wellm9seline action5 In the classical conce2tion the

instant o< itsel< could not imitate eternit9C since it is essentiall9 an e>anescence it is e>enthe ne=ation o< eternit95 It is the continual la9in= down o< the


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Bein= aside the transcendent relationshi2 that Malebranche2ercei>es in the instantC it remains that o< itsel< an instant is a relationshi2C a con@uestC

althou=h this relationshi2 does not re


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Nothin= could annul the inscri2tion in e1istence which commits the 2resent5 he cu2 oanish5 But that sim2l9 means that it does not endure5 he e>anescence o< the

2resent ma?es 2ossible this absolute character o< the en=a=ement he relationshi2 withbein= in the 2resent is not eer9 2resence o< the 2resent it =i>es an

a22earance o< bein= to the 2ast and deen in the dismal ni=htC li?e a realit9 innothin=ness5 he incom2leteness o< this e>anescence is manier the eternal course o< thin=sC which is attachedC

2arado1icall9C to what in the instant is the su2reme =uarantee o< the anescence o< the instant in an ideal record o


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identiit95 It consists in this ori=inal 2ossession o< bein=C in which the Ine>ertheless re>erts ineluctabl9 to itselement o< sel


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irresistibl9 accom2lished5 he 2resentC the I and an instant are moments o< one and

the same e>ent5

The Present and Position

his sel


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hrou=h ta?in= 2osition in the anon9mous there is a subect is aerb

became a bein= desi=nated b9 a substanti>e5 392ostasisC the a22arition o< a substanti>eCis not onl9 the a22arition o< a new =rammatical cate=or9 it si=niate domainC o< a noun5 !n the =round oer

the


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sele nothin=ness it is not a nihilationC in the

contem2orar9 e12ression5 ButC on the other handC this ent its


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matter o< sha?in= me out o< m9 boredom5 It isC on the ontolo=ical le>elC the e>ent o< the

most radical brea?u2 o< the >er9 cate=ories o< the e=oC


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accidents are themH< sel>es so man9 modie all remains e1teriorC it is relationshi2

with what remains outside o< all relationshi2sC an action which maintains the a=ent

outside o< the e>ents he brin= about5 he conce2t o< ?nowin= G a relationshi2 and anaction o< a uni@ue ?ind G ma?es it 2ossible to ariations o< the histor9 which aerb to be,but to that which isC to a noun

which has detached itsel< er the e>ent o< theidentient is not brou=ht about in thin air we ha>e shown that it is the wor? o< ta?in=

2osition and the >er9 isa=ed is the ne=ation or i=norance o< timeC a 2ure sel


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! ca2ti>eC e>er sadC wearisome to m9sel


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But in what sense does ho2e aim at time e>en thou=h it cannot unleash it As it is turned

to the irtue o< reasons 2ositi>el9 2ercei>able in the 2resent in that case one

e12ects an e>ent with more or less certaint9C and there is ho2e onl9 to the e1tent that it is

uncertain5 6hat 2roduces the thrust o< ho2e is the =ra>it9 o< the instant in which itoccurs5 he irre2arable is its natural atmos2here5 here is ho2e onl9 when ho2e is no

lon=er 2ermissible5 6hat is irre2arable in the instant o< ho2e is that that instant is a

2resent he en=ed no tear is to be lostC no death be without a resurrection5 3o2e then is not

satisen to an e=o that tra>erses them so as to

=ather in the


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he caress o< a consoler which so


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ecstas9C nor that o< durationC where the 2resent encroaches u2on the e between its bein= and its resurrection the indis2ensable

inter>al o< nothin=ness5 he d9namism o< the I resides in the >er9 2resence o< the2resentC in the e1i=enc9 which this 2resence im2lies5 his e1i=enc9 does not concern

2erse>erance in bein=C norC 2ro2erl9 s2ea?in=C the im2ossible destruction o< this 2resenceC

but the unra>elin= o< the ?not which is tied in itC the deeC which its e>anescencedoes not undo5 It is an e1i=enc9


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2roblem o< time is subordinate to the tas? o< brin=in= out the s2ecied5

%ith &nother and Facing &nother

he social relationshi2 is not initiall9 a relationshi2 with what =oes be9ond theindi>idualC somethin= more than the sum o< indi>idualsC in the Dur?heim.s senseC hi=her

than the indi>idual5 Neither the cate=or9 o< @uantit9 nor e>en that o< @ualit9 describes the

alterit9 o< the otherC who does not sim2l9 ha>e another @ualit9 than meC but as it werebears alterit9 as a @ualit95 Still less does the social order consists in the imitation o< the

similar5 In those two conce2tions o< sociabilit9 what one is loo?in=


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reci2rocit9 o< ci>iliFation G the ?in=dom o< ends where each one is both end and meansC

a 2erson and 2ersonnel4G is a le>ellin= o< the idea o<


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relationshi2 between thissubstratum and becomin=C a relationshi2 which would aer9 er9 >irilit9 o< the

substanti>e5 he9 are not what is su==ested b9 the notion o< er be the

obstacles e1istence 2resents to an e1istent and howe>er 2owerless it ma9 beC an e1istent

is master o< its e1istenceC as a subect is master o< its attribute5 In an instant an e1istentdominates e1istence5

But the 2resent is neither the 2oint o< de2arture nor the 2oint o< arri>al o< 2hiloso2hical

meditation5 It is not the 2oint o< arri>al it does not e12ress an encounter between timeand the absoluteC but rather the constitution o< an e1istentC the ta?in= u2 o< a 2osition b9 a

subect5 It is ca2able o< bearin= a


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nunc! It is the es the 2ossibilit9 o< e1istin= at the threshold o< a door

behind which one can retireC and which modern thou=ht has cau=ht si=ht o< behind

consciousness5 #onsciousness is not ust incom2lete without its bac?=round o< theunconsciousC slee2 and m9ster95 he >er9 e>ent o< its bein= conscious consists in being

b9 arran=in=


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2lace in realit95 All these @uestions are alread9 en cosmos

o< 7ree? rationalismC in the theater o< the worldC where there are 2laces alread9 to recei>e

e1istents5 he e>ent which we ha>e been in@uirin= aer9

existence and existents

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