Although there has always been a hermeneutic problem in Christianity, the hermeneutic question today seems to us a new one.
Paul RicoeurRead
But myth is something else than an explanation of the world, of history, and of destiny. Myth expresses in terms of the world - that is, of the other world or the second world - the understanding that man has of himself in relation to the foundation and the limit of his existence. Hence to demythologize is to interpret myth, that is, to relate the objective representations of the myth to the self-understanding which is both shown and concealed in it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Myth is a deeper understanding of human existence rather than just a historical explanation.
In this quote, Paul Ricoeur discusses the nature of myth as a profound expression of human self-understanding, suggesting that myths are more than mere stories or explanations of the world; they encapsulate the essence of how individuals relate to their existence, their origins, and the limitations they face. Demythologizing a myth involves interpreting it to uncover the hidden truths about human experience that it represents, revealing insights into our identity and place in the universe.
Themes
MythSelf-UnderstandingExistenceInterpretationHuman Condition
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about the significance of narratives in culture.
More from Paul Ricoeur
All quotes →The narrative constructs the identity of the character, what can be called his or her narrative identity, in constructing that of the story told. It is the identity of the story that makes the identity of the character.
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If it is true that there is always more than one way of construing a text, it is not true that all interpretations are equal.
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On a cosmic scale, our life is insignificant, yet this brief period when we appear in the world is the time in which all meaningful questions arise.
Paul RicoeurRead
Testimony demands to be interpreted because of the dialectic of meaning and event that traverses it.
Paul RicoeurRead
Myth expresses in terms of the world - that is, of the other world or the second world - the understanding that man has of himself in relation to the foundation and the limit of his existence.
Paul RicoeurRead
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