Emmanuel Levinas' metaphysics begins with a fundamental split in reality that he calls radical separation. This separation, which is the very foundation for phenomenological consciousness, comprises the distance between the self and the other person. While numerous commentators have reflected on Levinas' ethical implications, it is the purpose of this thesis to draw out some of the profound epistemological implications of his revolutionary metaphysics. Quite simply, the pluralism resulting from radical separation fundamentally changes our view of knowledge. Following an introduction of basic themes and historical context, the thesis proceeds in three sections: the first focuses on the epistemological implications of the individual's separation from the world and from the other; the second deals with the epistemological implications of the dynamic relationship of metaphysically separated individuals; the third enumerates and explains several of the profound ways epistemology changes under Levinas' ethical metaphysics.
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