After Auschwitz, I had the impression that, by assuming the direction of the Ecole Normale Isréalité Oriental, I was responding to a historical vocation. It was my little secret... I'm still aware and proud of it today. (Adapted - Levinas cited in Malka)

Emmanuel Levinas was a French philosopher known for his contributions to the field of ethics. A review of his works, the interviews conducted with him, and the seminars that he gave, collectively point to a philosophy of education that relates to the challenges of the 21st century. His reflections on education have great value in the contemporary world.

Before examining his philosophy, it is worth emphasizing a little-known fact: Levinas was director of the École Normale Israelite Orientale (ENIO), a teacher training school in Paris, for over 30 years, and a teacher of Talmud and Philosophy for over 40 years. This is important since the reflections discussed below are not only theory but also reflect practice.

Levinas's philosophical thought centers mainly on ethics. He proposes an ethics based on the encounter with the other, where the other is always fundamentally unique. Unlike Kant and his categorical imperative, the author does not propose any ethical system since he emphasizes the particularity of each being.

The idea of the Other, as proposed by Levinas, challenges teachers to go beyond ethnocentric and homogenizing tendencies in education. It encourages diverse perspectives and creating a learning environment that respects and celebrates differences and individuality. By introducing Levinas’s thought into the classroom, educators can develop an atmosphere that is inclusive, empathetic, and sensitive to the needs of all students.

It is worth mentioning that Levinas identifies a crisis in 20th-century humanism: humanism devalues the particularity of each human being because it encompasses them all under the same category: human beings. It is through the encounter with the other that the particularities of the other stand out, but also where responsibility for one's neighbor is generated.

This conception of humanism presents a challenge in education: the teacher comes to the classroom with an idea of what a human being is, but when it comes to meeting the other (both students and other teachers), he must concentrate his efforts on getting to know the particularities of that human being, as well as the unique contribution that the other brings to the encounter with education. According to Levinas, “a pedagogy of empty hands” is needed - a pedagogy that leaves aside generalizations about what a human being is and directly addresses each student's individuality.

Now, at the moment of encountering the face of the other, an infinite responsibility arises in each party. In an educational context, this encounter can be seen as a moment of recognition and commitment between teacher and student or between students. This approach suggests a personal and relational education that emphasizes the dignity and individuality of each student. It advocates for a more humane pedagogy that is focused on the students’ ethical development.

At the same time, Levinas’s emphasis on the infinite and the unknown suggests that education must be open and exploratory. Instead of seeking to teach finite knowledge, educators should foster critical thinking, curiosity, and a willingness (among teachers and students alike) to engage with what they don't know. This approach aligns with contemporary educational theories that value inquiry-based learning.

In addition, Levinas reflects on hospitality in education, starting from the importance of this value in the Bible, as reflected specifically in the patriarch Abraham (Genesis 18:1-18). For Levinas, hospitality in education occurs when pedagogy becomes ethical. When the classroom becomes a space for encountering the other, where students and teachers are willing to receive from the other, this acceptance of the other allows all members of the learning community to contribute to the construction of knowledge. Accepting the other also means listening to what they have to say.

From this perspective, everyone learns from everyone because everyone receives something from the other at the encounter between them. The classroom becomes the space where this flow of knowledge is generated. The encounter with the other occurs when each participant identifies his/her fundamental role in the learning community.

There are many more reflections to be gleaned from Levinas that can be applied in education. To date, scant attention in pedagogy has been devoted to his works, but he has much to offer for the great challenges of our times. Levinas inspires us to develop a more ethical approach to education, emphasizing ethical responsibility, the importance of encountering the other, celebrating diversity, and the intrinsic value of education.

Ivonne is a student in the International Master's in Jewish Education of the Melton Centre, and works as a teacher at the Olami ORT School in Mexico.

Bibliography

Chinnery, A. (2010). Encountering the philosopher as teacher: The pedagogical postures of Emmanuel Levinas. Teaching and Teacher Education 26(8), 1704–1709.

Levinas, E. (1991). Ética e infinito. A. Machado Libros S.A. 

Malka, S. (2006). Emmanuel Levinas: His life and legacy. Pittsburgh: Duquesne University Press.