英文摘要 |
The purpose of this paper is to review Hans-George Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics and its influence on academia. His Truth and Method represents his reflections on science. He argues that the methods of natural science, including those of induction and deduction developed by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes, respectively, result in a consciousness of control whose impact spreads from Nature to people themselves. He also contends that the scientific method cannot ensure that people will arrive at the truth. Conversely, the truth itself often confuses those who apply the scientific method. Accordingly, Gadamer explores three avenues to truth: art, history and language. Through his critique of aesthetic subjectivity, he contends that artistic experience is the antithesis of scientific experience and argues that art is a kind of recognition of truth. "Play," as a manifestation of the truth of being, is characterized by the "eventing of truth" and the "participation of truth." Furthermore, Gadamer considers the issue of truth through understanding of history. "Understanding", as one of the basic mode of existence, not only exists in aesthetics, but also penetrates history and tradition. Gadamer asserts that understanding is not based on the subject/object dichotomy, but based on the unity of subject and object. People who have "prejudices" in their understanding of history can access truth via the "fusion of horizons" and the dialectic logic of question and answer. Finally, these modes of understanding of art and history are ultimately united in "language." "Language" not only is a tool of symbolic communication, but also enables the world to manifest itself and continue to exist. |