Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / The problems of contemporary biblical interpretation are largely rooted in the instability caused by an inadequate response by the Church to the challenge realised by historical criticism, and this uncertainty has now been compounded by the embittered divisions between two contemporary responses to the hermeneutical impasse, namely existentialist exegesis and dogmatic theology. This dissertation undertakes to examine the hermeneutic's reaction to this situation by an outstanding continental theologian, Hermann Diem. The scope of this dissertation is limited to the realm of German speaking Protestantism, and further to the debate aroused by the alternatives currently presented by Rudolf Bultmann and Karl Barth in hermeneutics, and to Diem's response to these alternatives. The method used is descriptive and comparative in nature. [TRUNCATED]

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If traditional, modem philosophy of technology fails to genuinely understand the phenomena of technology, then emancipatory reflection, such as Don Ihde's, is required for philosophy of technology to have a future. Ihde's postmodern perspective and hermeneutic framework re-understands the meaning, knowledge and truth of technology as correlated with consciousness and embedded in cultures, while clarifying the relation between the interpreter and the technology he seeks to understand. The first part of my thesis argues that Ihde's philosophy of technology is generally postmodern for the following two main reasons: (1) Ihde's adaptation of the Husserlian model of intentionality, the basis of his phenomenology of human-technology relations, undermines the subject-object distinction prevalent in modem philosophy of technology, thereby recognizing the correlation between consciousness and technology; (2) by uncovering the cultural embeddedness of technologies, Hide rejects the emphasis of modem inquiry on the issue of whether we "control" technology, or it "controls" us. The second part of my thesis argues that Ihde's postmodern philosophy of technology is a hermeneutics of technology. His definition of technology, as an intentional understanding-relation with things, conceives of technology in terms of understanding itself. An implication of this emphasis on technology in praxis, rather than as substance, conceives of technology in a properly human way under the rubric of human agency, and although he never phrased it in this way, takes the techne out of technology. Finally, Hide's inquiry into technology is a call to learn the art of response-ability when attempting to understand technology. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

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Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gadamer's hermeneutical philosophy is an enlightenment of consciousness that intends to correct a false consciousness concerning the power of reason and methods. His concept of the Wirkungsgeschichte presents his hermeneutical philosophy in a nutshell and demonstrates that understanding is more being (Sein) than consciousness (Bewuïstseins. The Wirkungsgeschichte is constituted by three perspectives on the understanding of meaning from three different regions that escape the controlling procedures of method. The first is the experience of art where the concept of play functions as model; the second is the experience of tradition where the concept of dialogue functions as model; the third is the experience of speaking where the concept of translation functions as model. These three perspectives on understanding of meaning together constitute the concept of the Wirkungsgeschichte and their relation is like three concentric circles with the art perspective as the inner circle. The Wirkungsgeschichte transcends the subject-object dichotomy and demonstrates the understanding of meaning as a single event. It is here where Gadamer's concepts of hermeneutics and truth crystallize. Gadamer's concept of truth is not truth as mirror in the way in which it functions in science as the correspondence of correct judgment and reality. The kind of truth he is concerned with, is truth as claim awareness (Angesprochenheity or truth as rock that carries and orientates us. One reaches truth as mirror only approximately and only after methodical procedures; while truth as rock is something that carries us, it is the claim awareness that constantly accompanies us and sweeps us along since we participate in it all the time. Hermeneutics that reflects on understanding is, according to Gadamer, part of Practical Philosophy because understanding, like Aristotle's concept of phronesis, is orientated on the general that must become concrete in the particular. Understanding is, like phronesis, not theoretical, but practical; the conclusion of understanding is also not a theoretical judgment, but a decision on orientation and action as part of the ongoing dialogue that we are. Phronesis as the concretization of the Wirkungsgeschichte functions also fruitfully in Gadamer's response to criticism from the perspectives of text interpretation, theory of science and critique of ideology. The contribution of this dissertation, is to place Gadamer's claim to universality in perspective and typify his one-sidedness as a prophetic appeal. Gadamer does not provide a new method, nor rejects methodical procedures; he simply demonstrates what happens before and while we approach reality methodically. His hermeneutical philosophy is an enlightenment of consciousness which he typifies as part of the Third Enlightenment. As Third Enlightenment his Wirkungsgeschichtliche BewuDtsein helps to ask critical questions to science, and especially to technocracy. In this way Gadamer's hermeneutics becomes Practical Philosophy and the Wirkungsgeschichte is concretized in phronesis as the prudent and sensible concern with life in its striving to deepen humaneness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gadamer se hermeneutiese filosofie is bedoel as 'n bewussynsverheldering waarby 'n valse bewussyn oor die mag van die rede en metodes gekorrigeer word. Sy begrip van Wirkungsgeschichte vat sy hermeneneutiese filosofie in 'n neutedop saam en toon aan dat verstaan meer syn as bewussyn is. Die Wirkungsgeschichte word gekonstitueer uit drie perspektiewe op die verstaan van sin vanuit drie onderskeie gebiede wat die kontrole van metodes ontglip. Die eerste is die ervaring van kuns waar die begrip spel as model funksioneer; die tweede is die ervaring van die tradisie waar die begrip gesprek as model funksioneer; die derde is die ervaring van spreke waar die begrip van vertaling as model funksioneer. Al drie perspektiewe op verstaan van sin konstitueer gesamentlik die begrip Wirkungsgeschichte en hulle verhouding is soos drie konsentriese sirkels waar die kunsperspektief die binneste sirkel vorm. Die Wirkungsgeschichte deurbreek die subjek-objek diehotomie en toon die verstaan van sin as 'n eenheidsgebeurtenis. Hieruit kristalliseer Gadamer se begrippe van hermeneutiek en waarheid. Die begrip waarheid by Gadamer is nie waarheid as spieël soos dit funksioneer in die wetenskappe as die ooreenstemming tussen die juiste uitspraak en die ding nie. Die soort waarheid waaroor hy dit het is waarheid as aangesprokenheid of waarheid as rots wat jou dra en oriënteer. Waarheid as spieël bereik jy eers min of meer en voorlopig na metodiese prosedures; waarheid as rots is dit wat jou dra, dit is die aangesprokenheid wat jou voortdurend begelei en meesleur en waaraan jy van meet af aan deel het. Hermeneutiek wat nadink oor verstaan is vir Gadamer deel van die Praktiese Filosofie aangesien verstaan, soos Aristoteles se begrip van phronesis, gerig is op 'n algemene saak wat in die besondere situasie gekonkretiseer moet word. Verstaan is, net soos phronesis, nie 'n teoretiese aangeleentheid nie, maar prakties; die slotsom van verstaan is ook nie 'n teoretiese uitspraak nie, maar 'n besluit tot oriëntering en handeling te midde van die voortgaande gesprek wat ons is. Phronesis as die konkretisering van die Wirkungsgeschichte funksioneer dan ook vrugbaar in Gadamer se reaksie op die kritiek vanuit teksinterpretasie, wetenskapsteorie en ideologiekritiek. Die bydrae wat hierdie proefskrif lewer, is om Gadamer se universele aanspraak in perspektief te plaas en sy eensydigheid as 'n profetiese appél te tipeer. Gadamer poog nie om 'n nuwe metode tot stand te bring of om die metodiese benadering af te wys nie, hy probeer ons bloot bewus maak van wat gebeur vóór en wanneer ons die werklikheid metodies benader. Sy hermeneutiese filosofie is 'n bewussynsverheldering wat hyself tipeer as deel van die Derde Aufklárung. As Derde Aufklarung wil sy Wirkungsgeschichtliche Bewusstsein help om kritiese vrae aan die wetenskap, en veral aan die tegnokrasie, te stel. In hierdie sin gaan Gadamer se hermeneutiek oor in Praktiese Filosofie en vind die Wirkungsgeschichte sy konkretisering in die begrip van phronesis as die verstandige omgaan met die lewe ter wille van groter menslikheid.

One of the major themes in environmental philosophy in the twenty-first century has broadly focused on how we experience and value the natural world. Along those lines, the driving question I take up in this project is if our ordinary experiences are seen as interpretations, what is the significance of this for our moral claims about the environment? Drawing on the hermeneutic philosophies of Hans Georg-Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur, I examine environmental interpretation as it relates particularly to identity, meaningful action, and the mediating function of the imagination. These three interconnected aspects show both our capability for new understandings related to the natural world, as well as problem of conflicting, yet equally valid, views on environmental value. To explore this tension further I consider the relevance of hermeneutic conceptions of truth and translation for environmental ethics. A hermeneutic notion of truth highlights the difficulties in making strong normative claims about the environment, while a hermeneutic view of translation is helpful in thinking about the otherness of nature and what this means for ecological values. In this project I am particularly interested in the conflict of environmental interpretation and the implications that a hermeneutic frame has for the limits of environmental understanding and value. I argue that hermeneutics and narrative theory shows that we can argue for direct moral consideration of ecological others or the natural world only as merely possible interpretations among others.

This study proposes a model for the deconstruction of nationalism. Nationalism is a discursive construct. This construct manifests in ideologies and formalizes order. Individuals should question these institutions in order to achieve legitimate societal participation. This criticism can be accomplished through self-reflection. The model demonstrates that sanctioned individual(s) provide interpretations of events. These interpretations recycle authority. The hermeneutic obscures an individual's understanding of the originating fact. Self-reflection allows an individual, such as Malcolm X in the Nation of Islam, to come closer to discovering the original fact. Critiquing the hermeneutic can reveal the imperfections of the message(s). Revealing the imperfections of an ideology is the first step to the liberation of the individual and society.

This study opens with an introduction to the transpersonal orientation, which Boucouvalas presents as a meta-framework of the transpersonal field that includes individual, group/societal, and planetary/cosmic domains. Three major theoretical perspectives of the field framed the study: the hierarchical stages of development, spiral path, and participatory. I offer a philosophical hermeneutic reading of the Qur'an to trace the development of human collective consciousness as a construct of the interaction between the autonomous and homonomous self at the individual, group, and cosmic levels on one plane of reality with the Divine on the other. This analysis, which utilizes Gadamer's conceptualization of philosophical hermeneutics as a research philosophy, concludes that this process of collective human development is comprised of three clearly distinct representations: familial, national, and cosmic/planetary. I articulate development and growth as a process of the expansion of collective consciousness. The cosmic/planetary human consciousness represents the ultimate reach of this expansion, for it assimilates the national and familial types while simultaneously transforming and transcending them within its reach. Based on the historical development of human consciousness in the Qur'an depicted in this study, I propose that human collective consciousness has reached the domains of cosmic consciousness, which began at the time of the Qur'an being read by Muhammad. However, individuals and groups may still operate within the limiting boundaries of national consciousness in the form of religious, ethnic, racial, and nation states. The Qur'an, and possibly other religious texts, should be understood within this expanded cosmic/planetary consciousness reach because they represent humanity's collective heritage. Moreover, those individuals operating within a strictly national consciousness should not be entrusted with explaining these texts to humanity at large or imposing their own limiting understanding on the world. I conclude by outlining some implications for adult education as a process, a program and a movement. I presented the possible contribution of a transpersonal adult learning theory based on this study's meta-framework as a comprehensive worldview to adult education and learning combining multiple dimensions of being, including the rational, affective, spiritual, imaginative, somatic, and sociocultural domains through relevant experiences of body-mind-spirit. / Ph. D.

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