RT Article
T1 Richard Rorty and the concept of redemption
JF International journal for philosophy of religion
VO 82
IS 2
SP 103
OP 118
A1 Llanera, Tracy
LA English
YR 2017
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1567852513
AB It is curious why a secular pragmatist like Richard Rorty would capitalize on the religiously-laden concept of redemption in his recent writings. But more than being an intriguing idea in his later work, this essay argues that redemption plays a key role in the historical development of Rorty's thought. It begins by exploring the paradoxical status of redemption in Rorty's oeuvre. It then investigates an overlooked debate between Rorty, Dreyfus and Taylor (1980) that first endorses the concept. It then contrasts Rorty's notions of essentialism and edification to link redemption to self-transformation. After providing a historical legitimation to the idea of redemption, the essay reconstructs Rorty's modern version of the concept. Redemption for Rorty centers on human relationships and not religion or philosophy; it is also pluralist and liberal in character. Finally, it concludes that Rorty uses redemption-a primary component of religious language-to capture the salvific force of religion. This power is redirected toward the protection of secular, democratic hopes, which are demanding and fragile by nature.
K1 Charles Taylor
K1 Hubert Dreyfus
K1 Integrity
K1 Liberal utopia
K1 Natural resources
K1 Redemption
K1 Religion
K1 Richard Rorty
K1 Theology
DO 10.1007/s11153-016-9596-8