La hermenéutica es una manera de hacer filosofía y no una escuela (original) (raw)

in conversation with the editorial staff of Areté * Areté: Professor Grondin, what role does hermeneutics play nowadays in contemporary philosophy? Jean Grondin: Hermeneutics is, following Vattimo, a koiné. Within current philosophy, hermeneutics is a way of doing philosophy, for it is an interpretation of reality. Nonetheless, hermeneutics is also a human topic as the human being is a being who interprets her/himself. Hence, hermeneutics is a useful word to describe the practice of philosophy, its project, and also its product. But words themselves are not that important, they can be changed. I am sure that in sixty years from now we will have a different word. This is always the case in philosophy. Areté: Would you consider that the critique to modernity, to fundamentalism, the critique to historicism itself, already constitute the 'here' of contemporary thought? Jean Grondin: Of course. But we do not yet know what the challenges of philosophy will be in the future. I recall that Sartre used to say that Marxism was the insurmountable horizon of our time. Paul Ricoeur used to say that his own essential philosophy was Personalism, Existentialism, and Marxism. These philosophies may change but what will remain are the questions that the human being poses about himself, about justice, about god. This is because, to me, the word 'hermeneutics' has not managed to * Jean Grondin visited Lima in May 2006, invited by the Centro de Estudios Filosóficos (Centre of Philosophical Studies) and the Department of Humanities of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. On that occasion he conducted a seminar on the work of Gadamer and also gave a public conference. During his visit, he gave this interview to the editorial staff of Areté. Professors Cecilia Monteagudo and Pepi Patrón also took part in the conversation. Jean Grondin prevail among the general public; the layman has no idea of what hermeneutics is, but he does know what pragmatism is, or utilitarianism, or existentialism, or ethics. Hermeneutics, I do not know why, is a word that has not yet been assumed. To me, hermeneutics is a way of doing philosophy rather than a school. Areté: This is probably why Gadamer said at some point that he did not feel completely comfortable with the expression 'hermeneutic philosophy' and he preferred 'philosophical hermeneutics' instead, which is more open and loose. Jean Grondin: But that was Gadamer being modest as, to him, hermeneutic philosophy implied that he was a philosopher. And he had an infinite modesty: he considered that philosophy is what Heidegger, Kant or Plato did. This is why he says, 'I only interpret texts, I interpret the life-world; and it could be possible that such hermeneutics may have a philosophical relevance'. It is for this reason that he prefers the expression 'philosophical hermeneutics', for it does not have to provide a methodology; it is rather a way to interpret, as appropriate, a text or authors that may have philosophical significance. However nowadays, faced with such modesty, we can change this point of view and transform it into a universal philosophy of interpretation. But, of course, this is not an expression that Gadamer would have liked. Areté: You have used a beautiful expression that Gadamer used to employ-'I interpret the life-world'. Does this also mean that philosophy should address its fellow citizens? Jean Grondin: Yes, it is part of its task. Areté: Would you say that philosophy is undertaking such a task at the moment? Is it addressing the citizen, the fellow countryman, the citizen of the world? Because the image of philosophy as the interpreter of the life-world we share is interesting. Jean Grondin: It does not have to undertake it. We must respect the various kinds of philosophers; there are also the specialist philosophers, so to speak. But, on the other hand, I see personalities such as Habermas or Rorty that study political or social situations, which one can always discuss, from a cultural viewpoint. This concerns philosophy. But it also