The Good of Recognition

The Good of Recognition analyzes the polysemy of recognition operative in the thought of two contemporary French thinkers, Emmanuel Lvinas (19061995) and Paul Ricur (19132005). Author Michael Sohn shows that recognitiona concept most often associated with Hegels worksappears prominently throughout the works of Lvinas and Ricur, which exist at the intersection of phenomenology, ethics, politics, and religion. Sohn situates recognition in the sociopolitical context of Lvinas and Ricur and excavates the philosophical and religious sources that undergird the two thinkers use of recognition before contextualizing recognition within the broader themes of their thought. By reflecting on phenomenology, ethics, and religion in The Good of Recognition, Sohn not only shows how Lvinas and Ricur articulated a response to the pervasive problems of nonrecognition and misrecognition in their day but also suggests how their thought can contribute to a better understanding of our contemporary social and political landscape.