Love and justice in Ricœur

Peter Kemp

pp. 329-335

in: Guttorm Fløistad (ed), Philosophy of justice, Berlin, Springer, 2015

Abstract

One of the most important developments in ethics in our time was spearheaded by Paul Ricœur. In his philosophy, the idea of Justice, which founds society on the principle of treating everyone as an equal, is itself founded on the idea of care or solicitude for "the other", extended to everyone who counts in just institutions as a person whom I then take care of as what Ricœur, Lévinas and others call "the third" in the good life. – But the practice of justice is not sufficient for love in its highest forms that is recognition, pure gift and shared memory with others in close relations, including forgiveness, which in very personal relationships can claim: "You are better than your actions".

Cited authors

Levinas Emmanuel

Ricoeur Paul