La fenomenologia e la "metafisica speciale" levinasiana

The article analyzes the notion of "metaphysics" in Levinas's thought, with the aim to show in what sense it is legitimate to speak of "special metaphysics" in relation to his philosophy. To this end, the Levinasian reference to Kant and to the primacy of pure practical reason over theoretical reason is taken into consideration. The article then dwells extensively on the "entities par excellence" of Levinasian special metaphysics (the other and God), showing that the "face" of the other is a concept which is still, for some aspects, phenomenological and that, with reference to God, Levinas leads the "religious situation" back to the ethical relation.