Origins & Early Life

Jean Paul Gustave Ricœur (; French: [ʁikœʁ]; 27 February 1913 – 20 May 2005) was a French philosopher best known for combining phenomenological description with hermeneutics. As such, his thought is within the same tradition as other major hermeneutic phenomenologists, such as Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and Gabriel Marcel. In 2000, he was awarded the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy for having "revolutionized the methods of hermeneutic phenomenology, expanding the study of textual interpretation to include the broad yet concrete domains of mythology, biblical exegesis, psychoanalysis, theory of metaphor, and narrative theory." Paul Ricœur was born in 1913 in Valence, Drôme, France, to Léon "Jules" Ricœur (23 December 1881 – 26 September 1915) and Florentine Favre (17 September 1878 – 3 October 1913), who were married on 30 December 1910 in Lyon. He came from a family of devout Huguenots (French Reformed Protestants), a religious minority in France.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Paul's father Jules, who served as a sergeant in the 75th Infantry Regiment of the French army during World War I, went missing in Perthes-lès-Hurlus near the beginning of the Second...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Albert Camus — Contemporary (Born in 1913) (1913): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Albert Ellis — Contemporary (Born in 1913) (1913): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Alfred Russel Wallace — Contemporary (Died in 1913) (1913): Naturalist and explorer who independently conceived the theory of evolution.
• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Contemporary (Died in 2005) (2005): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances.
• Anthony Barber — Contemporary (Died in 2005) (2005): British Conservative politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (1970-1974)
• Arthur Miller — Contemporary (Died in 2005) (2005): A towering figure of 20th-century American theater and essayist.
• Alan Guth — Shared historical date (02-27 · Born) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
• Carlos Manuel de Céspedes — Shared historical date (02-27 · Died) (1874): Cuban revolutionary hero and 'Father of the Homeland' who initiated the Ten Years' War.
• Andrew Scheer — Shared historical date (05-20 · Born) (1979): Canadian politician, former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
• Antoinette Brown Blackwell — Shared historical date (05-20 · Born) (1825): Pioneering American philosopher and the first ordained Protestant minister.
• 1913 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1913
• February 27 (02-27) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 27
• 2005 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2005
• May 20 (05-20) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 20