Hans-Georg Gadamer

One of the leading contemporary German philosophers. Proponent of philosophical hermeneutics. Born in Marburg. Studied philosophy, classical philology, art history, etc. at universities in Marburg and elsewhere. Became professor at Leipzig University in 1938, and moved to Frankfurt University in 1947 in what was then West Germany. Later became professor emeritus at Heidelberg University. His encounter with Heidegger was crucial to the formation of his philosophy, initially through his interpretation of Aristotle. His friendship with theologians guided by Bultmann cannot be ignored. His hermeneutical thought, which regards understanding as the fusion of the horizons of our experience, was based on hermeneutical phenomenology, which regards Heidegger's understanding as the very mode of human existence, and dealt with the problem of Diltheian science of the mind, namely history, or more specifically, the world as having historicity. His criticism of modern science and civilization, his indication of the tension between humanistic truth and the methodology of modern science, his suggestion of combining the restoration of authority and tradition with criticism of them, his deep awareness of the historical existence and finiteness of human beings, and especially his focus on the fundamental linguistic nature of experience itself, as shown in his thesis that language is the only thing that can be understood, are all widespread philosophical themes today. His debate with Habermas over ideological criticism of the idealism of language and his (rather, incontrovertible) debate with Derrida over textual interpretation are important points of reference when considering the contemporary mental state. His major works include Truth and Method (1st edition, 1960; 2nd edition, 1965; 3rd edition, 1972).

[Kenji Tokoha February 17, 2015]

"Truth and Method I" translated by Kutsuda Osamu et al. (1986/New edition, 2012, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Philosophy, Art and Language" translated by Saito Hiroshi et al. (1977, Miraisha)" ▽ "The Age of Philosophical Training" translated by Nakamura Shiro (1982, Miraisha, reprinted in 1996 as "Gadamer's Autobiography - The Age of Philosophical Training")" ▽ "Reason in the Age of Science" translated by Homma Kenji and Zasoda Yutaka (1988, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "In Praise of Theory" translated by Homma Kenji and Suda Akira (1993, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Truth and Method II" translated by Kutsuda Osamu et al. (2008, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Truth and Method III" translated by Kutsuda Osamu et al. (2012, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Gadamer by Maruyama Takashi "The Fusion of Horizons" (1997, Kodansha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

現代ドイツの代表的哲学者の一人。哲学的解釈学の提唱者。マールブルクに生まれる。マールブルクなどの大学で哲学、古典文献学、美術史などを学ぶ。1938年にライプツィヒ大学教授となり、1947年、当時の西ドイツのフランクフルト大学に移った。後、ハイデルベルク大学名誉教授。その哲学形成にとって決定的であったのはハイデッガーとの出会いであるが、それは初めアリストテレス解釈を通じてであった。ブルトマンに導かれた神学者たちとの交友関係も無視できない。理解をわれわれの経験の地平の融合ととらえる彼の解釈学思想は、ハイデッガーの理解を人間の存在様式そのものととらえる解釈学的現象学を踏まえて、ディルタイ的な精神科学の問題、すなわち歴史、より詳しくは歴史性をもつ世界を扱った。近代科学・近代文明への批判を込めた、人文主義的真理と近代科学の方法性の緊張関係の指摘、権威と伝統の復権とそれらへの批判との結合の示唆、人間の歴史的存在性・有限性の深い自覚、ことに、理解されうる存在は言語であるというテーゼに示された経験自体の根源的言語性への注目などは、今日広範な哲学的テーマとなっている。言語の観念論をめぐるイデオロギー批判のハバーマスとの論争、テクスト解釈にかかわるデリダとの論争（むしろ論争不能）は、現代の精神状況を考える際の重要な参照事項である。主著に『真理と方法』（第1版・1960、第2版・1965、第3版・1972）がある。

［常葉謙二　2015年2月17日］

『轡田収他訳『真理と方法Ⅰ』（1986／新装版・2012・法政大学出版局）』▽『斎藤博他訳『哲学・芸術・言語』（1977・未来社）』▽『中村志朗訳『哲学修業時代』（1982・未来社、1996再版『ガーダマー自伝――哲学修業時代』と改題）』▽『本間謙二・座小田豊訳『科学の時代における理性』（1988・法政大学出版局）』▽『本間謙二・須田朗訳『理論を讃えて』（1993・法政大学出版局）』▽『轡田収他訳『真理と方法Ⅱ』（2008・法政大学出版局）』▽『轡田収他訳『真理と方法 Ⅲ』（2012・法政大学出版局）』▽『丸山高司著『ガダマー　地平の融合』（1997・講談社）』

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