The Relationship between Narrative and Ethics with an Emphasis on Paul Ricoeur’s Views

This paper tries to reflect on the relationship between ethics and narrative, i.e. "narrative ethics", emphasizing the ideas of a great contemporary French philosopher, Paul Ricoeur. For this purpose, after a review of literature regarding narrative and narratology, and then “ethics and narrative”, investigates the relationship between these two from viewpoint of Ricoeur. To do this, his conception of narrative is discussed. Then by introducing the generalities of his moral theory, Ricoeur’s ideas are compared with some major theories of normative ethics. Finally, it is tried to elaborate the ethical aspects of narrative in his writings. It is concluded that, despite the fact that the concept of "narrative ethics" cannot encompass all aspects of Ricoeur's views on ethics, it is, in some respects, of great importance to his ethical views. These include: narrative as the foundation of self; the means of involving "the other" in our life; as a method of attribution of action; as a means of imagination; a poetic mediator between "is" and "ought"; and, finally, the importance of narrative to deepen the virtue ethics, the cultivation of practical wisdom, as well as learning moral principles.