Hans-Georg Gadamer’s Concept of the Horizon and Its Ethico-Political Critique
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Saulius Geniusas
Abstract
Here I focus on the relevance of Gadamer’s hermeneutics in the context of today’s socio-political concerns. I engage in the ethically and politically motivated critique of Gadamer’s hermeneutics, which suggests that Gadamer fails to offer a satisfactory account of the relation between ipseity and alterity. I argue against the view that Gadamer’s hermeneutics overlooks the otherness of the Other. Thus I further criticize the perspective that it abandons the selfhood of the self. While focusing on the dialectic of oneness and multiplicity, I contend that for Gadamer, just as the one is irreducibly multiple, so multiplicity is ultimately one.While addressing the relation between universality and particularity, I suggest that for Gadamer, this relation is not vertical, but circular. Taking as my focus Gadamer’s concept of Horizontverschmelzung, I argue that the fusion of the horizons abolishes neither the self, nor the Other, but raises both to a higher universality. The oneness of the horizon(s) thereby proves to be the dialogue that we ourselves are.
Abstract
Here I focus on the relevance of Gadamer’s hermeneutics in the context of today’s socio-political concerns. I engage in the ethically and politically motivated critique of Gadamer’s hermeneutics, which suggests that Gadamer fails to offer a satisfactory account of the relation between ipseity and alterity. I argue against the view that Gadamer’s hermeneutics overlooks the otherness of the Other. Thus I further criticize the perspective that it abandons the selfhood of the self. While focusing on the dialectic of oneness and multiplicity, I contend that for Gadamer, just as the one is irreducibly multiple, so multiplicity is ultimately one.While addressing the relation between universality and particularity, I suggest that for Gadamer, this relation is not vertical, but circular. Taking as my focus Gadamer’s concept of Horizontverschmelzung, I argue that the fusion of the horizons abolishes neither the self, nor the Other, but raises both to a higher universality. The oneness of the horizon(s) thereby proves to be the dialogue that we ourselves are.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- List of Abbreviations IX
- Hermeneutic Philosophies of Social Science: Introduction 1
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I. Science and Method: Towards Hermeneutic Phenomenology of Social Science
- Toward an Interpretative or Hermeneutic Social Science 25
- Quantum Mechanics and the Social Sciences 51
- A Critical Hermeneutics of Agency: Cultural Studies as Critical Social Theory 63
- Overcoming Naturalism from Within: Dilthey, Nature, and the Human Sciences 89
- Hermeneutics from the Inside-Out and the Outside-In—And How Postmodernism Blew It All Wide Open 109
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II. Reflexive and Relational Hermeneutics
- The Sciences of Subjectivity 123
- Studies of Empirical Ontology and Ontological Difference 143
- Hermeneutics and Its Discontents in Philosophy of Science: On Bruno Latour, the “Science Wars”, Mockery, and Immortal Models 163
- On the Importance of Getting Things Straight 189
- Hans-Georg Gadamer’s Concept of the Horizon and Its Ethico-Political Critique 199
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III. Practice and Application: Hermeneutics, Social Theory
- Gadamer’s Hermeneutics as Practical Philosophy 219
- The ‘New’ Sociology of Knowledge 237
- Taking Plurality Seriously with Michel De Certeau: From History to ‘Reception Sociolinguistics’ 267
- Pragmatism and Hermeneutics 287
- Make It Scientific: Theories of Education from Dewey to Gadamer 295
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IV. Truth and Life: Life-Philosophy and History, Psychology and Theology
- The Hermeneutical Human and Social Sciences 315
- Life, Metaphysics, History: Reflections on the Contemporary Relevance of Dilthey’s Philosophy of Life 341
- Four Fundamental Aspects of the Reversal of Platonism 357
- Heidegger: Hermeneutics as “Preparation” for Thinking 373
- Hermeneutic Reflections on Descartes’ Introduction to His Meditations on First Philosophy 387
- List of Contributors 427
- Index 431
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- List of Abbreviations IX
- Hermeneutic Philosophies of Social Science: Introduction 1
-
I. Science and Method: Towards Hermeneutic Phenomenology of Social Science
- Toward an Interpretative or Hermeneutic Social Science 25
- Quantum Mechanics and the Social Sciences 51
- A Critical Hermeneutics of Agency: Cultural Studies as Critical Social Theory 63
- Overcoming Naturalism from Within: Dilthey, Nature, and the Human Sciences 89
- Hermeneutics from the Inside-Out and the Outside-In—And How Postmodernism Blew It All Wide Open 109
-
II. Reflexive and Relational Hermeneutics
- The Sciences of Subjectivity 123
- Studies of Empirical Ontology and Ontological Difference 143
- Hermeneutics and Its Discontents in Philosophy of Science: On Bruno Latour, the “Science Wars”, Mockery, and Immortal Models 163
- On the Importance of Getting Things Straight 189
- Hans-Georg Gadamer’s Concept of the Horizon and Its Ethico-Political Critique 199
-
III. Practice and Application: Hermeneutics, Social Theory
- Gadamer’s Hermeneutics as Practical Philosophy 219
- The ‘New’ Sociology of Knowledge 237
- Taking Plurality Seriously with Michel De Certeau: From History to ‘Reception Sociolinguistics’ 267
- Pragmatism and Hermeneutics 287
- Make It Scientific: Theories of Education from Dewey to Gadamer 295
-
IV. Truth and Life: Life-Philosophy and History, Psychology and Theology
- The Hermeneutical Human and Social Sciences 315
- Life, Metaphysics, History: Reflections on the Contemporary Relevance of Dilthey’s Philosophy of Life 341
- Four Fundamental Aspects of the Reversal of Platonism 357
- Heidegger: Hermeneutics as “Preparation” for Thinking 373
- Hermeneutic Reflections on Descartes’ Introduction to His Meditations on First Philosophy 387
- List of Contributors 427
- Index 431
