1001Philosophers

Paul Ricoeur 1913 – 2005

Paul Ricoeur (1913 – 2005) was a French philosopher of the Contemporary era, associated with Phenomenology and Continental Philosophy.

Paul Ricoeur was a French philosopher and one of the great synthesizers of twentieth-century continental thought. Drawing on phenomenology, hermeneutics, structuralism, and analytic philosophy of mind, he produced a long sequence of major works on the symbolism of evil, Freud, narrative and time, the self, memory, and justice. His three-volume Time and Narrative argues that human time is brought to language only through narrative configuration, and his Oneself as Another develops a hermeneutics of selfhood. He taught at Strasbourg, Nanterre, and the University of Chicago, and exercised wide influence on theology and the human sciences.

Key facts

Nationality
French
Era
Contemporary
Movements
Phenomenology, Continental Philosophy

Selected quotes

  • Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:

    “The shortest path from self to self is through the other.”

  • Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:

    “To narrate is already to explain.”

  • Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:

    “Memory is the future of the past.”

  • Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:

    “Hermeneutics is the philosophy of interpretation.”

  • Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:

    “The symbol gives rise to thought.”

Read all Paul Ricoeur quotes

Paul Ricoeur by topic

Frequently asked about Paul Ricoeur

When did Paul Ricoeur live?
Paul Ricoeur was born in 1913 and died in 2005.
Where was Paul Ricoeur from?
Paul Ricoeur was a French philosopher of the Contemporary era.
What philosophical movements is Paul Ricoeur associated with?
Paul Ricoeur was associated with Phenomenology and Continental Philosophy.
What was Paul Ricoeur known for?
Paul Ricoeur was a French philosopher and one of the great synthesizers of twentieth-century continental thought.
How many quotes are attributed to Paul Ricoeur?
There are 10 attributed quotations from Paul Ricoeur in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.