Dialogism and the Ethics of the Person: convergences and Tensions Between Paul Ricoeur and Paulo Freire

Abstract

This article analyzes the convergences and tensions between Paul Ricoeur’s ethics of the person and Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, taking dialogicity as the central axis of interpretation. The study adopts a qualitative approach based on bibliographic review and theoretical-hermeneutic analysis of key works by both authors, complemented by selected secondary literature. The objective is to examine how Ricoeur’s reflections on recognition, solicitude, responsibility, and just institutions may be placed in dialogue with Freire’s concepts of dialogue, humanization, autonomy, and transformative praxis. The analysis demonstrates that both authors converge in their defense of human dignity, otherness, ethical responsibility, and social justice, while also revealing important differences regarding the role of institutions, education, and social transformation. Ricoeur emphasizes the ethical constitution of the person and the mediation of just institutions, whereas Freire highlights critical consciousness, dialogical education, and the struggle against oppressive structures. The findings indicate that dialogicity constitutes a fruitful category for articulating these perspectives, allowing a broader understanding of ethical formation as a relational process grounded in recognition, participation, and commitment to humanization. The study contributes to contemporary Philosophy of Education by highlighting the relevance of dialogue, justice, and alterity for educational and social practices.