Status of Ethics in Gadamer's Hermeneutics

Subject Areas : Philosophy

زهرا زینلی مهرآباد ¹ ( ندارد )

Received: 2014-10-20 Accepted : 2014-10-20 Published : 2008-03-20

Keywords: Ethics, hermeneutics, Idea of goodness, Gadamer,

Abstract :

This essay deals with ethics in Gadamer's hermeneutics. Mainquestion is whether Gadamer's hermeneutics can play an importantrule in finding the way, how-to-live human beings or not. In thelight of Heidegger's interpretation of plato's aletheia, it seems thatethics has lost his early status philosophizing. By means ofinterpreting truth [Wahrheit] and good [agathon] in Plato'sphilosophy, Gadamer intends to illustrate rational connectionbetween speculative philosophy and ethics. First of all, Heidegger'saccount of Plato's aletheia must be exposed, which is conveyed todisclosedness and forgottenness of the being [Sein], in his turn,consequently, leads to ethical nihilism. It would be, then, discussedthat how Gadamer tries to obviate this crisis/situation. Gadamer'sendeavour is concentrated on two issues: (1) Reconstructing ofPlato's care in [contemplating and] intending on transcendentalIdeas, specially Idea of goodness, and their relation with the beingwhich leads him to relitivization of distinction between the beingand entities. (2) The canonical rule of authentic dialogue at formingethical decision and performing this decision in virtue of persistanceof exact and critical investigation. Saying the main consequence inshort: ethical considerations not only are not distinctable fromontology but also they are situated in its focal center.