Paul Ricoeur and the Poetic Imperative SUNY series in Theology and Continental Thought Douglas L.Donkel,editor Paul Ricoeur and the Poetic Imperative The Creative Tension between Love and Justice W. David Hall State University of New York Press Cover art: Kelli Williams, Deeply, 1991, acrylic on paper, (17.5 x 15). Published by State University of New York Press,Albany © 2007 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic,electrostatic, magnetic tape,mechanical,photocopying,recording,or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information,address State University of New York Press, 194 Washington Avenue,Suite 305,Albany,NY 12210-2384 Production by Kelli Williams Marketing by Anne M.Valentine Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hall,W.David (William David),1965 Paul Ricoeur and the poetic imperative : the creative tension between love and justice / W.David Hall. p.cm — (SUNY series in theology and continental thought) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-7143-2 (hardcover : alk.paper) 1. Ricœur,Paul. 2. Ethics. I. Title. B2430.R554H35 2007 194—dc22 2006101100 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 In memory of Harold Lee Watts 1949–1994 Contents Acknowledgments ix CHAPTER1 Introduction 1 Situated Reading 4 Intrepretational Structure 12 CHAPTER2 Agency: The Structures of Selfhood 19 The Structure of Agency 20 Capability: The Voluntary and the Involuntary 22 Identity: IdemandIpse 25 Attestation: Acting and Suffering Selves 28 CHAPTER3 Meaning: The Narrative Configuration of Existence 37 The Configuration of Meaning 40 Understanding: Active Receptivity 43 Possibility: Actuality and Potentiality 52 Affirmation: A Hermeneutics of Meaningful Existence 63 CHAPTER4 Practice: Practical Experience and Moral Concern 81 Practical Experience 83 Responsibility: Imputation and Solicitude 86 Ethics: Power and Violence 93 Witness: Conviction and Fidelity 105 vii viii Contents CHAPTER5 Conscience: Conviction and Fidelity in Theological Perspective 113 The Testimony of Conscience 115 Basic Structures: The Logic of Equivalence and the Logic of Superabundance 126 Configuration: The Golden Rule and the Love Command 133 Experience: Autonomy and Theonomy 135 CHAPTER6 The Economy of the Gift and the Poetic Imperative 143 The Economy of the Gift 144 Love and Justice 150 The Poetic Imperative 153 Notes 161 Bibliography 187 Index 195 Acknowledgments Many hands and minds have contributed to this project,more than I can name explicitly.Several deserve special mention,however.First I should thank Carole Blair who made me first read Ricoeur as an undergraduate majoring in rhetoric at California State University,Sacramento.I owe a tremendous debt to William Schweiker whose oversight and often painful,but always constructive criticism was instrumental in bringing to fruition the dissertation that grounded this book,and to David Klemm and David Tracy who served as readers on my dis- sertation committee.I also want to thank Bill Schweiker for continued friend- ship and encouragement in bringing the book itself to fruition. While at the University of Chicago,I benefited greatly from the insights of peers and teachers, among them Eric Bain-Selbo, Chris Gamwell, Paul Griffiths,Michael Johnson,Kevin Jung,Robin Lovin,Chuck Mathewes,Joe Petit,Rick Rosengarten,Kristin VanHeyningen,John Wall,Darlene Weaver, and Brent Wilmot.Special thanks go to Kristine Culp who made my return to Chicago after a brief hiatus easy,and who has served at various times as em- ployer,teacher,critic,mentor,and valued friend.Special thanks are also due to Elmer Almachar,Paul Dehart,and Mark Wolf whose companionship kept me sane and alive through graduate school and whose insight and criticism made me a better thinker.There are surely too many others associated with my time at Chicago who helped along the way for me to be able to adequately thank all. I have benefited from insightful and supportive colleagues in my time at DePaul University and Centre College who deserve mention.Special thanks to Jeff Carlson who first hired me as an adjunct instructor at DePaul and to Frida Furman who offered me my first full-time position.Jim Halstead’s mentorship and dedicated friendship were instrumental in making me a teacher and scholar (and,I hope,a better human being).Centre College has been a place where I have ix