Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005) is widely recognized as one of the most distinguished philosophers of the twentieth century. He taught for many years at the University of Chicago. His many works include Freud and Philosophy, Time and Narrative and Oneself as Another.

Translated by David Pellauer and John Starkey.

* Editor's Introduction
* The Goal and Plan of the Course
* I. Plato
* Part I: "True Being" or the Idea
* Introduction to Plato, Part I
* Chapter 1: The Meaning of the Platonic "Eidos"
* Chapter 2: Essence and Language
* Chapter 3: Science and Essence
* I. "Opinion" as the Negative of Science
* Chapter 4: Science and Essence
* II. Right Opinion as "Intermediary"
* Chapter 5: Science and Essence
* III. The Mathematical "Intermediary"
* Chapter 6: Science and Essence (Conclusion)
* IV. The "Terminus" of Science: Contemplation
* Part II: The Idea of Being and Non-Being
* Introduction to Plato, Part II
* Chapter 1: The Question of Being in the Parmenides
* Chapter 2: The Success and Failures of Platonism in the Sophist
* Chapter 3: The Genesis of the Sensible in the Timaeus
* Part III: Being and the "Divine"
* Introduction to Plato, Part III
* Chapter 1: The Problem of the "Divine" and pre-Socratic Philosophy
* Chapter 2: The "Divine" in Plato
* II. Aristotle
* Introduction to Aristotle
* Part I: Being as Being
* Chapter 1: The "Genetic" Interpretation of Aristotle's Metaphysics
* Chapter 2: Philosophy: Its Intention and Its Memory
* Chapter 3: Philosophy and Its "Aporias"
* Chapter 4: The Object of "First Philosophy"
* Part II: Being and Substance
* Introduction to Aristotle, Part II
* Chapter 1: Sensible Substance: Substance as Substrate
* Chapter 2: Sensible Substance (continued): Substance as Form
* Chapter 3: Substance and the Individual
* Chapter 4: "Separated" Substance