Gurevich, P. S. Phenomenon of Identity in Paul Ricoeur’s Interpretation

Abstract: It is believed that the definition of identity has been in great demand lately. After Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson’s works this term has become ingrained in humanities. Today many authors are writing about individual, social, cultural, religious self-identity and identity decay and crisis. It is noted that Paul Ricoeur has managed to create a new interpretation of this term. Paul Ricoeur has shown that internal and external identities do not have an ordinary bond. Complex dialectics appear here. The French philosopher responded to the conception offered by a professor of Oxford University Peter Strawson. Peter Strawson offered a new solution of the old psychophysical problem by introducing a new definition of personality. In his interpretation, personality is the basic and indivisible concept. Identification of personality attributes (states of consciousness and body) is possible only trough preceding personality identification. As a result of traditional analyst’s searches for initial states of analysis (basic particularities) Strawson makes a conclusion that there are the two basic particularities, particularity of one’s body and particularity of one’s personality. So it is no mere coincidence that the phenomenon of personality comprises a great part of Ricoeur’s philosophical and anthropological concepts.

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