From epistemology to ontology : the hermeneutic circle of difference and identity in the thought of Paul Ricoeur
This thesis has attempted to examine Paul Riceoeur's work as a whole. Its aim has been to enquire whether the dialectics of difference and identity played any essential part in his hermeneutic phenomenology. The introduction gave an overall view of Ricoeur's writings situated within the contemporary landscape of French philosophy. Part I set out to study Ricoeur's abstract phenomenology. The results obtained showed : 1. That Ricoeur's philosophical background, especially Husserl's phenomenology and Marcel's existentialism, had a deep influence on him; 2. That his structural phenomenology of the will, developed from an imaginative combination of Husserl's epistemological method and Marcel's ontological vision, to constitute a framework towards the understanding of human nature; 3.That 'man's non-coincidence with himseIf' brought an existential distance within structural unity,thus leading to an abstract reflection upon the structures of human reality, and to the disclosure of a 'fault'. Part II enquired into the emergence of Ricoeur's hermeneutics, a turning point towards concrete phenomenology. This study demonstrated:1. That the 'same' of meaning could be reached only indirectly through the 'other' of signs,
Piovano, Danielle Helene
Philosophy of Paul Ricoeur
From epistemology to ontology : the hermeneutic circle of difference and identity in the thought of Paul Ricoeur. This thesis has attempted to examine Paul Riceoeur's work as a whole. Its aim has been to enquire whether the dialectics of difference and identity played any essential part in his hermeneutic phenomenology. The introduction gave an overall view of Ricoeur's writings situated within the contemporary landscape of French philosophy. Part I set out to study Ricoeur's abstract phenomenology. The results obtained showed : 1. That Ricoeur's philosophical background, especially Husserl's phenomenology and Marcel's existentialism, had a deep influence on him; 2. That his structural phenomenology of the will, developed from an imaginative combination of Husserl's epistemological method and Marcel's ontological vision, to constitute a framework towards the understanding of human nature; 3.That 'man's non-coincidence with himseIf' brought an existential distance within structural unity,thus leading to an abstract reflection upon the structures of human reality, and to the disclosure of a 'fault'. Part II enquired into the emergence of Ricoeur's hermeneutics, a turning point towards concrete phenomenology. This study demonstrated:1. That the 'same' of meaning could be reached only indirectly through the 'other' of signs,
epistemology_ontology hermeneutic circle difference identity think paul_ricoeur attempt_examine paul work whole aim enquire whether dialectic difference identity play essential_part hermeneutic phenomenology introduction_give overall view ricoeur writing situate_within contemporary_landscape french philosophy part set study ricoeur abstract phenomenology obtain show ricoeur philosophical_background especially husserl phenomenology existentialism deep influence structural phenomenology develop imaginative combination husserl epistemological method ontological vision constitute framework towards human_nature that man non coincidence brought existential distance within structural unity thus lead abstract reflection upon structure human reality disclosure fault part enquire emergence ricoeur hermeneutics turn_point towards concrete phenomenology study demonstrated same meaning could reach indirectly other sign