Razão e paixão: necessidade e contingência na construção da vida ética

This work aims at answering the question of responsibility to far beyond its juridical realms. The author draws from two contemporary philosophers, Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida. Firstly, the concept of responsibility is reviewed from the ethical sense that Levinas� alterity philosophy gives to it. Next, the question of responsibility is problematized fom Derrida�s philosophy, focusing on law criticism as well as on the decision theory, according to the text Law Force, where Derrida examines the difference between law and justice. Finally, drawing from Derrida�s criticisms, the work tries to exploit the relationships between freedom and responsibility.