The Mode of Attributing Action under the Heading of Responsibility in Ricoeur’s Thought

The concept of responsibility is a pivotal notion in practical philosophy. The manner in which an action and its consequences are ascribed to an individual—or a group of individuals—within society under the rubric of responsibility has consistently been a challenging issue. Paul Ricoeur, the eminent contemporary philosopher, has addressed the topic of responsibility in a brief text, examining it from ethical and legal perspectives; However, one can find numerous implications regarding the attribution of action within other pivotal themes of Ricoeur’s thought—themes that are foundational to his ethical and legal discussions on responsibility, yet have been overlooked in his writing. Accordingly, we aim to infer, analyze, and criticize the manner in which responsible action is attributed, through the lens of these fundamental concepts in his philosophy: 1) identity, 2) the Other, 3) narrative, 4) time, and 5) language. We will demonstrate that language plays a pivotal role in this context. This study will help a more precise understanding of other social themes in Ricoeur’s work that are grounded in the concept of responsibility.