The good of recognition: Phenomenology, ethics, and religion in the thought of Levinas and Ricoeur

This dissertation analyzes the polysemy of the concept of recognition operative in the thought of two contemporary French thinkers, Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995) and Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005). Recognition is most associated with the works of G.W.F. Hegel and not Levinas or Ricoeur. While many scholars acknowledge that Levinas and Ricoeur are indebted to and critical of Hegelianism, there is no sustained study regarding their treatment of the Hegelian concept of Anerkennung. This volume shows that the concept of recognition appears prominently throughout their works, and argues that it plays an important role in their thought at the intersection of phenomenology, ethics, politics, and religion. Part of the purpose of this project, then, is to bring to light the importance of the concept of recognition for Levinas and Ricoeur by situating their thought within the socio-political context of their day, excavating the philosophical and religious sources that undergird their use of the concept, and contextualizing that understanding within the broader themes of their thought. This work employs not only an historical approach, however, but also a constructive approach, for it is interested in more than simply situating and understanding Levinas and Ricoeur's thought and subjecting it to critical analyses. It also puts their insights in conversation with contemporary theory. By thinking with and through Levinas and Ricoeur, this volume explores the phenomenological, ethical, and religious dimensions of recognition that are neglected in current recognition studies in political and social theory.