Paul Ricoeur Quotes
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. The quotes below are attributed to Paul Ricoeur, organized by topic.
Paul Ricoeur on Knowledge
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Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:
“Hermeneutics is the philosophy of interpretation.”
Paul Ricoeur on Mind
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Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:
“The shortest path from self to self is through the other.”
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Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:
“The symbol gives rise to thought.”
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Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:
“Every action requires a hermeneutics.”
Paul Ricoeur on Time
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Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:
“Memory is the future of the past.”
Paul Ricoeur on Truth
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Attributed to Paul Ricoeur:
“To narrate is already to explain.”