An Analysis of the Position of the Ethical Subject in the Story of “Postman” Based on the Opinions of Levinas and Lacan

Ethics is one of the concepts that thinkers across various fields have been discussing for centuries. Levinas, as a phenomenological philosopher, and Lacan, as a psychoanalyst, have drawn upon different propositions from theoretical and non-theoretical sciences to articulate their teachings and define the concept of ethics. The story of the postman serves as a representation of the conflict between love and duty. This research, relying on the teachings of Levinas and Lacan about ethics, employs a qualitative analysis method and is grounded in library studies. It aims first to explain the position of ethics according to these two thinkers and then to analyze the actions of the characters in the story of the postman based on Levinas’ and Lacan’s critical perspectives on ethics. The results of the research indicate that the most important component of ethics, according to Levinas, is its heteronomy, while for Lacan, it is its autonomy. Based on these frameworks, characters like Ali and Chista are regarded as unethical subjects from Levinas’ perspective but ethical subjects from Lacan’s viewpoint due to their transgression of The Other’s desire. Conversely, characters like Haji and Haj Akbar are viewed as ethical subjects by Levinas but unethical by Lacan due to their strict adherence to duty.

Keywords:

Emmanuel Levinas , Jacques Lacan , ethical subject , Autonomy , Heteronomy , postman