Marcel and Ricoeur: Mystery and Hope at the Boundary of Reason in the Postmodern Situation

by Patrick L. Bourgeois

American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly (Volume 80, Issue 3, pp. 421-433) 2006
  • Philosophy

This article on mystery and hope at the boundary of reason in the postmodern situation responds to the challenge of postmodern thinking to philosophy by a recourse to the works of Gabriel Marcel and his best disciple, Paul Ricoeur. It develops along the lines of their interpretation of hope as a central phenomenon in human experience and existence, thus shedding light on the philosophical enterprise for the future. It is our purpose to dwell briefly on this postmodern challenge and then, incorporating its positive contribution, to present theirs as an alternative philosophy at the boundary of reason.