Exploring Levinas: Ethics, the Other, Responsibility, and Useless Suffering

Eric Severson, PhD, Co-presenter Peter August, MFT, and guest presenter Donna Orange, PhD, PsyD

Friday Oct 4, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, 3 sessions until Oct 18

There can be few questions of keener interest, in all human experience, than the ones that arise over the meaning of suffering. This course examines philosopher Emmanuel Levinas' critique of theodicy, which goes far beyond the attempt to justify God's existence in the face of suffering. Levinas argues that suffering is unique and resists any attempt to explain or justify it with philosophical or religious arguments. This course will explore Levinas's emphasis on ethical responsibility for the suffering other person, rather than ascribing philosophical, intellectual, or diagnostic meaning to suffering - which for Levinas risks immorality and even blasphemy. The course will explore the difference between pain and suffering, as proposed by Levinas in his article Useless Suffering, and use these insights to make suggestions for those who would provide care for people who suffer.

CE Credits offered: 6

Course Objectives

After completing this course participants will be able to:

1. Introduce the basic philosophy of Levinas, particular as it relates to the concept of suffering.
2. Equip therapists with a framework to understand suffering as distinct from pain, and resistant to justification.
3. Challenge the structure of "theodicy" (and any other justification of suffering) as it functions in therapeutic contexts.
4. Develop alternative responses to suffering: through conversations and clinical examples, seek responses to suffering that go beyond justification and focus on validation, solidarity, and care.
5. Explore the limitations of Levinas's approach: Encourage critical reflection on the strengths and limitations of Levinas's philosophical perspectives as they relate to the work of clinicians.
6. Provide a context for conversation in which clinicians share experiences of their own suffering, and the suffering of their clients, as these experiences relate to Levinas's central thesis about "useless suffering."

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The Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California (PINC) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. PINC maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Visit db.pincsf.org/policies for policies and disclaimers.