Gadamer's Rhetorical Conception of Hermeneutics as the Key to Developing a Critical Hermeneutics

Mootz, Francis

doi:10.2139/ssrn.1316033

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Gadamer's Rhetorical Conception of Hermeneutics as the Key to Developing a Critical Hermeneutics

Francis Joseph Mootz III

University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law

December 14, 2008

Abstract:
The rhetorical dimensions of Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics have not been fully developed by his commentators, resulting in an overly conservative rendering of his philosophy. Drawing out the rhetorical features of his work, we find that Gadamer regards textual interpretation as a rhetorical accomplishment. This characterization leads to a rich conception of critical hermeneutics. The article develops Gadamer's rhetorical hermeneutics by contrasting his approach with Paul Ricoeur's famous intervention in the Gadamer-Habermas debate, and looks to Gadamer's account of legal practice as a manifestation of critical hermeneutics in action.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 24

Keywords: Rhetoric, Hermeneutics, Critical Theory, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Paul Ricoeur, Legal theory

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Date posted: December 15, 2008 ; Last revised: January 30, 2013

Suggested Citation

Mootz, Francis Joseph, Gadamer's Rhetorical Conception of Hermeneutics as the Key to Developing a Critical Hermeneutics (December 14, 2008). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1316033 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1316033

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Francis Joseph Mootz III (Contact Author)

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