The word that invokes and the word that responds: An approach to the person from Ebner and Levinas

Abstract

The goal of the present work is to analyze some texts of Ferdinand Ebner and Emmanuel Levinas in order to consider ‘person’ as the one who is appealed and who freely responds to the call ¾passivity and activity that constitute its existence. Since ancient times, the ability to «have a word» (λόγον ἔχον) has been considered the key element between us and the rest of the animals. However, the philosophical treatment given to the notion of ‘word’ (λόγος, verbum), in most cases lost its dialogical, transcendent and communitarian character, accentuating ¾to a greater extent¾ the logical, immanent and intimate character of the person.

I believe that Personalism could be a philosophical provocation that, as a hinge, helps us to reunite the epistemological and ethical poles, so commonly dissociated, through an anthropology that considers the word as open intimacy and responsible communion.