Knowing how to interpret a text is a vital task for any philosopher, just as knowing how to interpret the actions of others is a vital task for any human. Many misunderstandings arise from poor interpretation, some of which have serious consequences. Clearly, the job of hermeneutics is necessary for our discipline and for society.
Recognizing the need for hermeneutics is relatively easy compared to the next step: knowing how to interpret properly. There are many factors that may be included or excluded in any interpretation, such as the author’s life, word choice, related texts, intentions, and contemporary perceptions. Although there is no clear agreement on what proper interpretation consists of, there is widespread understanding that the task is not as easy as it gets made out to be. While we can’t all work on the topic of hermeneutics, we should all practice the skill. It’s a good way to in shape intellectually. Here are some papers on how hermeneutics can best be done.
- Morny Joy, “Paul Ricoeur: From Hermeneutics to Ethics,” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, March-June 2015.
- Hans-Herber Kögler, “A Critique of Dialogue in Philosophical Hermeneutics,” Journal of Dialogue Studies, Spring 2014.
- Niall Keane, “The Continually Expanding Limits of Hermeneutics: Heidegger on Poetic Expression, Nature, and the Holy,” Research in Phenomenology, 2016.
- Michael Marder, “Hermeneutic Communism as (Weak) Political Phenomenology,” Telos, Fall 2017.
- Kurt Mertel, “Historicism and Critique in Herder’s Another Philosophy of History: Some Hermeneutic Reflections,” European Journal of Philosophy, June 2016.
See the Routledge APA member page for more books on hermeneutics. APA members get a 20% discount on all books.
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