
Living Up to Death
Paul Ricoeur(Author)
University of Chicago Press
Published on 15. April 2009
Book
Hardback
132 pages
978-0-226-71349-6 (ISBN)
Description
When French philosopher Paul Ricoeur died in 2005, he bequeathed to the world a highly regarded, widely influential body of work which established him as one of the greatest thinkers of our time. He also left behind a number of unfinished projects that are gathered here and translated into English for the first time. "Living Up to Death" consists of one major essay and nine fragments. Composed in 1996, the essay is the kernel of an unrealized book on the subject of mortality. Likely inspired by his wife's approaching death, it examines not one's own passing but one's experience of others dying. Ricoeur notes that when thinking about death the imagination is paramount, since we cannot truly experience our own passing. But those we leave behind do, and Ricoeur posits that the idea of life after death originated in the awareness of our own end posthumously resonating with our survivors. The fragments in this volume were written over the course of the last few months of Ricoeur's life as his health failed, and they represent his very last work.
They cover a range of topics, touching on biblical scholarship, the philosophy of language, and the idea of selfhood he first addressed in "Oneself as Another". And while they contain numerous philosophical insights, these fragments are perhaps most significant for providing an invaluable look at Ricoeur's mind at work. As poignant as it is perceptive, "Living Up to Death" is a moving testimony to Ricoeur's willingness to confront his own mortality with serious questions, a touching insouciance, and hope for the future.
They cover a range of topics, touching on biblical scholarship, the philosophy of language, and the idea of selfhood he first addressed in "Oneself as Another". And while they contain numerous philosophical insights, these fragments are perhaps most significant for providing an invaluable look at Ricoeur's mind at work. As poignant as it is perceptive, "Living Up to Death" is a moving testimony to Ricoeur's willingness to confront his own mortality with serious questions, a touching insouciance, and hope for the future.
Reviews / Votes
"Ricoeur writes the best kind of philosophy - critical, economical, and clear." - New York Times Book Review "Ricoeur's work on fundamental questions about the nature of human existence made him one of the most eminent philosophers of the twentieth century." - New York Times "One of the most distinguished and prolific philosophers of his generation.... He was chiefly preoccupied with what is arguably the greatest philosophical theme - the meaning of life." - Daily Telegraph"More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago
United States
Publishing group
The University of Chicago Press
Dimensions
Height: 20 mm
Width: 14 mm
Thickness: 2 mm
Weight
284 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-226-71349-6 (9780226713496)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Paul Ricoeur
Living Up to Death
E-Book
04/2010
1st Edition
University of Chicago Press
€37.09
Available for download
Persons
Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005) was the John Nuveen Professor in the Divinity School, the Department of Philosophy, and the Committee on Social Thought of the University of Chicago. David Pellauer is professor of philosophy at DePaul University and the translator of Ricoeur's The Just; Reflections on the Just; and Memory, History, Forgetting.
Author
Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris X and at the University of Chicago
Translation