num_pages: 224
description: Critique and Conviction offers a rare opportunity to share personally in the intellectual life and journey of the eminent philosopher Paul Ricoeur. Internationally known for his influential works in hermeneutics, theology, psychoanalysis, and aesthetics, he has until now been silent on the subject of himself. In this book - a conversation about his life and work with Francois Azouvi and Marc de Launay - Ricoeur reflects on a variety of philosophical, social, religious, and cultural topics, from the paradoxes of political power to the relationship between life and art, and life and death. In the first of eight conversations, Ricoeur traces the trajectory of his life, recounting the origins of his convictions and the development of his intellect during the tragic events of the twentieth century. Declaring himself the "son of a victim of the First World War, " Ricoeur, an orphan, sketches his early years in the house of stern but loving grandparents, and the molding of his intellect under the tutelage of Roland Dalbiez, Gabriel Marcel, and Andre Philip. Ricoeur tells the intriguing story of his capture and five-year imprisonment by the Germans during World War II, when he and his compatriots fashioned an intellectual life complete with a library and lectures, and when he, amazingly, was able to continue his dissertation research. Interweaving anecdotes with philosophical meditations, Ricoeur recounts his relationships with some of the greatest figures of the twentieth century including Heidegger, Jaspers, and Eliade. He also shares his views on French philosophers and explains his tumultuous relationship with Jacques Lacan. And while expressing his deepest respect for the works of ClaudeLevi-Strauss and Michael Foucault, Ricoeur reserves his greatest admiration for the narratologist Algiridas Julien Greimas. Ricoeur also explores the relationship between the philosophical and religious domains, attempting to reconcile the two poles in his thought. Readers who have
language: English
title: Critique and Conviction: Conversations with Francois Azouvi and Marc de Launay
titlecomplete: Critique and Conviction: Conversations with Francois Azouvi and Marc de Launay
characters: François Azouvi, Marc de Launay
genres: Philosophy, Religion
ratings_count: 25
publisher: Columbia University Press