Customer Reviews

The Paradox of Power and Weakness (Suny Series, Alternatives in Psychology)

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Kunz's book is a wonderful read without losing the thickness of Levinas's ideas. It answered the question I've struggled with for years, if you're happy and complete, why act? He makes a clear case for moving the center of existance off the ego and onto the other. We act because need in the face of the other calls us to act. In the face of that need we have no choice but to act, even if that act is to turn coldly from those in need.

He argues for a new psychology based not on the ego as the center of the world, but on the need of the other as the center of the world.

This book radically opened up my way of being with the ideas of Levinas, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

As both a clinical psychologist and an individual deeply interested in those attributes that make us truly human, I have to say that this book is one of the best I have read in many years. Dr. Kunz offers not only an easy to understand synthesis of what is arguably the most important work by Levinas, but cogently argues that psychology could benefit greatly by incorporating his ideas. I thoroughly loved the book and very highly recommend it.