The Good of Recognition: Phenomenology, Ethics, and Religion in the Thought of Levinas and Ricoeur

The Good of Recognition analyzes the polysemy of recognition operative in the thought of two contemporary French thinkers, Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995) and Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005). Author Michael Sohn shows that recognition-a concept most often associated with Hegel’s works-appears prominently throughout the works of Levinas and Ricoeur, which exist at the intersection of phenomenology, ethics, politics, and religion. Sohn situates recognition in the sociopolitical context of Levinas and Ricoeur and excavates the philosophical and religious sources that undergird the two thinkers’ use of recognition before contextualizing recognition within the broader themes of their thought.

By reflecting on phenomenology, ethics, and religion in The Good of Recognition, Sohn not only shows how Levinas and Ricoeur articulated a response to the pervasive problems of nonrecognition and misrecognition in their day but also suggests how their thought can contribute to a better understanding of our contemporary social and political landscape.