Ethics on the border of the “I” and the “Other”: a comparative analysis of moral paradigms

Abstract

The article examines the “ethics of responsibility” as a special type of moral theory that is formed at the inter-section of individual existence and communication with Others. The focus is on the transformation of the un-derstanding of the moral subject in the context of the crisis of universalist ethical systems such as “ethics ofduty” and “ethics of the good.” The research focuses on the change in the philosophical ontology of the sub-ject: from an autonomous, closed transcendental Self to an open, communicative and reflective Self, capableof self-transformation and taking responsibility for unique, specific situations. The analysis is based on theideas of E. Levinas, P. Ricoeur, H. Jonas, J. -P. Sartre and M. Bakhtin, revealing that morality within theframework of the “ethics of responsibility” is not limited to following a norm or realizing a good, but is a wayof being determined by one’s attitude to Another. It is emphasized that a moral act in this context requires notonly conscious choice, but also inner strength — the ability to actively act in a fragile, uncertain world. As aresult, the article demonstrates that the “ethics of responsibility” is not just a new normative model, but a rad-ical turn in the understanding of morality as an existential and communicative practice.