French politicians from left and right paid tribute this weekend to philosopher Paul Ricoeur, who died in his sleep aged 92 at his home just outside Paris. A humanist and author of around 30 books including "The Rule of Metaphor" and "Time and Narrative", Ricoeur, who died on Friday, was best known for work in the field of phenomenology - studying how a person's conscious experiences shape their view of reality. "The entire European humanist tradition is mourning one of its most talented spokesmen," Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said.
President Jacques Chirac said Ricoeur had left behind works that by their range and depth "would continue to feed reflection by those looking to understand our times."
Communist Party leader Marie-George Buffet said Ricoeur was "one of the great voices of our time".
Ricoeur was born in 1913 in the south-eastern town of Valence. He had a long career teaching in universities ranging from the Sorbonne to Chicago.
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