Paul Ricoeur

Reviews / Votes

In this collection of edited articles, 14 accomplished scholars think with and beyond Paul Ricoeur in an effort to honor and continue his work. This is no small task, since Ricoeur's corpus is extensive, interdisciplinary, and diffuse. An astute student of many schools of thought, particularly phenomenology and hermeneutics, Ricoeur devoted his life to fashioning a philosophical anthropology centered on the capable human being. Here the focus falls on topics that preoccupied Ricoeur during his long and prolific career: language, imagination, narrative, history, religion, ethics, love, justice, memory, forgiveness, hope, and personal identity, to name the most salient. At the same time, contributors creatively extend the philosopher's ideas to engage issues such as technology, globalization, and national memorials. A portrait of intellectual integrity, Ricoeur always acknowledged the contributions of others. He also refused to take methodological short cuts, preferring instead the roundabout route, a rigorous path that required him to consider competing conceptions together in order to mediate between them productively. There is much to celebrate in Ricoeur, and this substantial anthology is eminently worthy of the man it ardently seeks to commemorate. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. * Choice Reviews *