Abstract:
The development in Ricoeur’s concept of time did not receive as much attention as his move
from eidetic to hermeneutic phenomenology and his Time and Narrative, with which it
coincided. This paper attends to the lacuna, specifically departing from Ricoeur’s Husserlian
eidetics and moving towards the influence of Augustine’s discussion of the main aporias of
time. Initially, Paul Ricoeur’s philosophic approach can be described as a Husserlian eidetic
phenomenology, which influenced the way in which he understood time. This changed
somewhat when Ricoeur moved from eidetic to hermeneutic phenomenology. Ricoeur has
developed his understanding of the concept of time since his initial writings up to the end of
his academic career of 70 years. This article focusses on Ricoeur’s initial eidetic approach in
Freedom and Nature and, in more existential terms, in Fallible man, but also focusses on the initial
phase of his turn to hermeneutics in Volume 1 of Time and Narrative with his exposition of
Augustine’s views on time. His eidetic approach stems from his appreciation for and extension
of the work of Husserl, Marcel and Kant, while he also drew much from Heidegger and
Gadamer after his hermeneutic turn. His initial arguments on the hermeneutic phenomenology
of time flow from Augustine’s discussions of the aporias of time. The later extension of his
understanding of time to include emplotment was a logical next step.
Description:
Dr Malan is participating in
the research project
‘Socio-cultural Readings’,
directed by Prof. Dr Ernest
van Eck, Department of New
Testament Studies, Faculty of
Theology, University of
Pretoria, South Africa.
