A study of the philosophy of modern art and literature

Jürgen Habermas (1992) states that, due to its specialized nature, the "project of modernity" with its roots in the 18th century "Enlightenment" has led to the compartmentalization of the three areas of science, ethics and art and hence the separation of them from the real world. This paper hypothesizes that an outstanding characteristic of the "project of modernity," namely the attempt to achieve the "realities" of the world and to express them in a scientific and realistic language, is extended to the area of art and literature, too. This, in consequence, has resulted in the severance of the art-world from the real-world. Having shown this, it will be suggested here that a post-modern solution to this should be looked for in an understanding of Emmanuel Levinas's ethical philosophy which emphasizes the introduction of the "other" to western philosophy.