From the Aporia of Expression to Ethical Openness: Fink and Levinas on Transcendental Language
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Is a language truly suited for transcendental phenomenology possible? Can philosophers unambiguously express their thoughts after the phenomenological reduction? By exploring the perspectives of Fink and Levinas, I examine the thesis that philosophers do not possess a language uniquely their own—specifically, a proper transcendental language capable of expressing their thoughts adequately and unambiguously. In confrontation with Husserl, who maintains that such a language is attainable, both Fink and Levinas uncover a fundamental tension: while transcendental insights demand articulation, language remains bound to mundane experience, risking the distortion of those very insights. Though both thinkers advocate for a reduction of language, this reduction necessarily remains incomplete. The philosopher’s desire to thematize is thus overshadowed by the limitation of language itself. Yet, it is precisely this tension that reflects their shared commitment to a primordial ethical openness, albeit through distinct pathways.
Source: Human Studies
Author: Changyuan Chen
Institution: University of Wuppertal
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,290
Funder: Bergische Universität Wuppertal
OpenAlex ID: W4407777509