Matthew
joespencer
Robert C.
robf
BrianJ
douglashunter
Kevin Barney
Jim F.
nhilton
cherylem
Clark Goble
NathanG
jennywebb
janetlisonbee
kirkcaudle
Karl D.
KarenA New LDS-HERM Reading Project: Paul Ricoeur
Posted by joespencer on February 12, 2008
My apologies for the extent—whatever it is—that this post is a distraction from the purposes of the site, but since the LDS-HERM blog project grew out of discussions here, it seems appropriate to me to mention that a new reading project will be beginning there shortly. We have worked through Girard’s The Scapegoat and are now planning to begin reading Paul Ricoeur’s Memory, History, Forgetting. Below is the tentative schedule for reading and posting there. Please ask any questions at all about the project, and I (we) do hope that others become interested and join the discussion there. The site for the LDS-HERM blog can be found here.
The schedule below is, as it says, somewhat tentative. If there are reasons to make adjustments, we will be glad to do so. As of now, it looks like I myself will be doing the weekly posts. If anyone else would like to lead discussions along the way, please let me know.
Tentative Schedule
February 15th, Introductory: Of Ricoeur
February 22nd, Part I, Chapter 1: “Memory and Imagination” (pp. 1-55)
February 29th, Part I, Chapter 2: “The Exercise of Memory: Uses and Abuses” (pp. 56-92)
March 7th, Part I, Chapter 3: “Personal Memory, Collective Memory” (pp. 93-132)
March 14th, Part II, Chapter 1: “The Documentary Phase: Archived Memory” (pp. 133-181)
March 21st, Part II, Chapter 2: “Explanation/Understanding” (pp. 182-233)
March 28th, Part II, Chapter 3: “The Historian’s Representation” (pp. 234-280)
April 4th, Part III, Chapter 1: “The Critical Philosophy of History” (pp. 281-342)
April 11th, Part III, Chapter 2: “History and Time” (pp. 343-411)
April 18th, Part III, Chapter 3: “Forgetting” (pp. 412-456)
April 25th, Epilogue: “Difficulty Forgiveness” (pp. 457-506)
Robert C. said
Of course I’m in.
If others are interested in following the discussion, but don’t have time to actually read along or don’t know much about Ricoeur, I highly recommend David Pellauer’s Ricoeur: A Guide for the Perplexed. Pellauer is Ricoeur’s most frequent and trusted (I’m guessing) translator, and his book gives an excellent and concise overview of Ricoeur’s thought, including 16 pages summarizing the main points of Memory, History, Forgetting. I’d imagine that reading Pellauer’s discussion of the book would be enough background to follow (and hopefully join in on!) our discussions.
Also, let me say that I think the themes discussed in this book, as in pretty much all of Ricoeur’s work, are very relevant to thinking about the process of reading and interpreting scripture and thinking about scriptural themes, esp. given the importance of the term remember (“memory” for Ricoeur) in the Book of Mormon.
(P.S. I think we’ve suckered Jim F. into reading along with us, so hopefully he’ll keep us from misreading Ricoeur’s thought too badly, in case this is an additional incentive for others to follow along….)
joespencer said
We’ve had some requests to cut down the length of the weekly readings, so here is the tentatively revised schedule, for any wondering if they could handle the readings above:
Tentative Schedule
February 15th, Introductory: Of Ricoeur
February 22nd: pp. 1-20
February 29th: pp. 21-55
March 7th: pp. 56-92
March 14th: pp. 93-132
March 21st: pp. 133-152
March 28th: pp. 153-181
April 4th: pp. 182-208
April 11th: pp. 209-233
April 18th: pp. 234-260
April 25th: pp. 261-280
May 2nd: pp. 281-304
May 9th: pp. 305-342
May 16th: pp. 343-381
May 23rd: pp. 382-411
May 30th: pp. 412-442
June 6th: pp. 443-469
June 13th: pp. 470-506
Clark said
Hopefully I’ll have time to contribute.
joespencer said
The introductory post is up: http://ldsherm.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/ricoeurs-memory-history-forgetting-introductory/