Why Is "Oneself As Another" Possible?

French philosopher Paul Ricoeur tries to find the new philosophy of subject beyond the alternative of cogito and of the anticogito. This paper uses the method of tracking the text, from the two point of the "narrative identity" and "otherness contained in selfhood",in order to research the possibility of the view of "oneself as another". Ricoeur demonstrates his argument from the two part. On the one hand, he proposes a kind of subject in a new uniform manner. First, he discusses by Locke's and Hume's thought of identity. Then he points out the fundamental cause of identity paradox is that there is no distinction between idem-identity and ipse-identity. At last, he proposes narrative identity as the media between idem-identity and ipse-identity.Narrative identity involves contingency and necessity, same and difference, which is regarded as the new principle of subject. On the other hand, Ricoeur, form the three kinds of otherness,such as, otherness of one's own body, otherness of other people and conscience, illustrates the view that otherness is constitutive of selfhood.We know that, the alternative of the cogito and of the anticogito makes the consciousness of subject fall into the dilemma. The consciousness of subject can be foundation of values, or can be source of nihilism. But that does not mean that any philosophy of subject can not be established. Many kinds of new philosophies of subject find the principle of subject form human other parts except consciousness,such as human body and social. Ricoeur's "oneself as another" is one of those. Ricoeur's theory,seem to be contradiction,can be possible is that he expands the connotation of concept of selfhood, which is not simple identity, but including diversity. And otherness not only comes from other people but also comes from the body of oneself and transcendent moral principles. In a word,Ricoeur makes the view of "oneself as another"is possible by expanding the concept of selfhood and drawing otherness in selfhood.