Lecture
Acceptance of the Other and Rejection of the Other; Gandhi and Hitler from the Perspective of Kaveh Behbahani
In this lecture, Kaveh Behbahani examines the relationship between acceptance of the other and rejection of the other through two symbolic figures, Gandhi and Hitler. The focus of the discussion is the ethical and political possibility of living with the other versus the logic of exclusion, hatred, and violence.
About this video
Acceptance of the other and rejection of the other are two fundamental modes of encountering difference: one relies on tolerance, dialogue, and recognizing the other, while the other relies on negation, exclusion, and violence. In this lecture, on the occasion of World Philosophy Day, Kaveh Behbahani outlines these two possibilities through a symbolic comparison of Gandhi and Hitler.
In this framework, Gandhi is a symbol of ethical resistance, non-violence, and the acceptance of human dignity; in contrast, Hitler is a symbol of the politics of hatred, the elimination of the other, and the reduction of the human being to closed and deadly identities. This opposition provides an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between philosophy and public life, political ethics, and the dangers of rejecting the other in the contemporary world.
This lecture is significant for those interested in philosophy, ethics, politics, and the problem of violence; because it shows that philosophy is not merely a theoretical discussion, but can play a serious role in understanding our relationship with the other, the boundaries of tolerance, and moral responsibility in the face of hatred.
