Hermeneutic Phenomenology and Ideology: A Critical Re-reading of Ricoeur

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Department of Philosophy and Logics Education, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This article offers a critical re-examination of ideology within the thought of Paul Ricoeur. It demonstrates how Ricoeur, by transcending Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology and engaging with the hermeneutics of Heidegger and Gadamer, alongside Freudian psychoanalysis, develops a hybrid and innovative approach. This framework allows for an understanding of ideology not merely as false consciousness or cognitive error, but as a cultural, historical, and linguistic narrative. The research aims, on one hand, to critique the Marxist reductionism in conceptualizing ideology, which confines it solely to the distortion of reality and the reproduction of power relations. On the other hand, this paper elucidates the positive functions of ideology in social cohesion, the continuity of collective identity, and historical self-understanding. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, the study gathers and analyzes data based on Ricoeur’s works and reputable philosophical sources. The findings indicate that hermeneutic phenomenology, by emphasizing language, narrative, the unconscious, and history, provides a comprehensive framework for the simultaneous understanding and critique of ideology, enabling a constructive yet critical engagement with this concept that moves beyond prevalent reductionisms to address its inherent complexities. This paper utilizes Ricoeur’s insights to challenge the traditional conception of ideology, presenting an innovative approach to its analysis.

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References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 52 - Serial Number 52
Articles
52 Autumn 2025
November 2025
Pages 41-58

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