Introduction to Hans-Georg Gadamer

The ideas of the German philosopher, Hans-Georg Gadamer, have had considerable influence both in their own right as the leading modern exposition of philosophical hermeneutics and in interpreting the works of Heidegger, Plato, and Hegel.

Overview of the Work

This work covers the trail of Gadamer's thought. Taking Truth and Method (1960, translated 1975) as the axis of the interpretation of Gadamer's thought, Jean Grondin lays out the key themes of the work — method, humanism, aesthetic judgement, truth, the work of history — with exemplary clarity.

Context and Significance

Gadamer's concerns are situated in the context of traditional philosophical issues, showing, for example, how Gadamer both continues, and significantly modifies, the philosophical problem as it begins with Descartes and advances rather than simply follows Heidegger's treatment of the relationship of thinking and language. In this way, Grondin shows how the issues of philosophical hermeneutics are relevant for contemporary concerns in science and history.