Paul Ricoeur: His Life and His Work - Hardcover

Reagan, Charles E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0226706028 ISBN 13: 9780226706023

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 1996

Synopsis

One of the major intellectual figures of the twentieth century, Paul Ricoeur has influenced a generation of thinkers. In this, the first philosophically informed biography of Ricoeur, student, colleague, and confidant Charles E. Reagan provides an unusually accessible look at both the philosophy of this extraordinary thinker and the pivotal experiences that influenced his development.

"A valuable introduction to Ricoeur; highly recommended."—Library Journal

"[A] lively introduction to the life and thought of one of this century's most notable philosophers."—Norman Wirzba, Christian Century

"Reagan lucidly explains Ricoeur's difficult philosophy while shining overdue light on the personality behind it."—Carlin Romano, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Combines biographical and philosophical essays with a more personal memoir that makes Ricoeur's humane and magnanimous nature abundantly evident. Four revealing interviews, coupled with photographs, and an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources, complete this illuminating study."—Choice

About this title

About the Author

Charles E. Reagan is professor of philosophy at Kansas State University, where he also serves as executive assistant to the president.

Reviews

One of France's most distinguished philosophers, the 83-year-old Ricoeur is the author of such respected books as Fallible Man, The Symbolism of Evil and Time and Narrative, in which he devotes himself to phenomenology, hermeneutics and such basic questions as what we mean when we say, "I will." Reagan's brief book is in four parts: a biographical essay; a memoir of the author's graduate study under Ricoeur in Paris; an essay on his teacher's philosophy that is only for specialists; and interviews with Ricoeur. A philosophy professor at Kansas State University and co-editor of The Philosophy of Paul Ricoeur, Reagan has tried to pack too much into this slim book; the result is that neither Ricoeur's life nor his work come across with real clarity. Reagan reveals that Ricoeur's son Olivier, a homosexual, alcoholic ether-sniffer, killed himself by jumping off a roof, but does little to examine his motivations. Nor does he even mention that the usually mild-mannered Ricoeur sued a French author, Christophe Donner, who dared mention the facts about his son in a recent memoir published in France. Ricoeur is a cagey interview subject?he even apologizes for being "obscure and cryptic" ?so finally the most useful parts of this book may prove to be the highly technical and compressed philosophy material, laden with professional jargon. Despite Ricoeur's coy claim that his life has no interest, an in-depth biography would seem called for, to deal with Ricoeur's years as a prisoner of war from 1940-45; his position as a Protestant and eminent Christian philosopher in a Catholic country; and his brave stands during the French Algerian crisis and the student rebellions of the 1960s.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Though Ricoeur can arguably take some credit for making ``hermeneutics'' a buzzword in graduate seminars, Reagan's passably informative, slightly schizoid book isn't likely to increase awareness of the eminent philosopher. Still writing thick, erudite, and deliberative philosophical works at 83, Ricoeur is enjoying a steadily growing reputation as one of the most influential of living French philosophers. Reagan (Philosophy/Kansas State Univ.), who shares with Jacques Derrida the distinction of having had Ricoeur as a teacher, lets his respect for the philosopher and pacifist water down not only the biographic details here but the intellectual side as well. This patchy work is broken up into four unsatisfying sections--a colorless biographical essay, Reagan's own personal memoir of Ricoeur, an uninspired pr‚cis of Ricouer's recent work Oneself as Another, and four interviews. Ricoeur's brand of ``anthropological philosophy'' apart, an intimate, subjective approach would have been justified for a leader of the phenomenological school, even if he insists on the importance of the work over the life. Admittedly, Ricoeur's work tends to be learned, dry, and difficult: an essay on Freud, studies of the symbolism of evil, explorations of the sources of human volition and of time as narrative. But Reagan's glosses are drier still. Ricoeur's life, on the other hand, has crucial moments that Reagan lets pass without much scrutiny: his imprisonment as a soldier in WW II, risky notoriety as a pacifist during the Algerian war, professional battles with fellow philosophers and psychoanalysts in the 1960s, and collisions with student radicals in 1968 while he was serving as a university administrator. A thin book on a dense philosopher, wavering between sycophantic tones and ponderous discourse. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Reagan, a longtime student and admirer of Ricoeur, begins with an engaging biographical sketch. Ricoeur's life has not been one of dull academic routine. He spent time in a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, was a target of student demonstrators at Nanterre in 1968, and lost a son to suicide. Reagan next offers a memoir to his friendship with Ricoeur, making clear his mentor's kindness and high scholarly standards. The book proceeds to a synopsis of Ricoeur's thought, including an especially valuable accounts of Oneself as Another. The final section consists of four interviews of Ricoeur by Reagan. A valuable introduction to Ricoeur; highly recommended.?David Gordon, Bowling Green State Univ. Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226706028
• ISBN 13: 9780226706023
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 162