Page 15 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 10(2) (2022)
P. 15
ia universitatismeans to (re-) cognize, to distinguish a notion sion. Thus, only in the light of a pre-understand-
applying the inter pr etive equation to facilitating cultur al exper iences ... 15 or a meaning from the explanation, this is the ing (pre-conceptions and prejudices) we do gain
means that enlightens the reasons through the new experiences and insights that change the in-
relationship of cause and effect (Vedder 2000). dividual horizon. In essence, Gadamer is inter-
In the 20th century Heidegger and Gadamer de- ested in what he calls “hermeneutic experience”,
fine the hermeneutical spiral on the basis of the i.e., multiple possibilities of the hermeneutic ex-
relationship of partial and holistic components perience of truth, not only in the pure upper field
of a creation e.g., text, expression, work of art. of philosophy, but also in the field of historical
Gadamer introduces the concept of the holistic sciences and, above all, of art (Δημητρακόπουλος
understanding (Verstehensganzheit/Sinnhori- 2001; Bricker 2020, 1). Follow Gadamer, we re-
zont) of a creation, the historic horizon, which gard the condition between perception and un-
includes also the analysis (Gadamer 1990, 493). derstanding, as two different components: we re-
In order for a creation to be understood, the in- late perception to the neuro-physiological ability
terpreter has to pre-understand the connections, to perceive without social meaning, while we re-
interdependencies and cohesion of the parts, gard understanding as imbued with social mean-
within any creation lies. In order to understand ing, prejudices, prior knowledge and potential
the cohesion and interdependencies of a given insights. To defeat time-distance decay, e.g., to
work of art one should have perceived first the offer contemporary visitors the chance to un-
relationships among their parts, the factors de- derstand the remote past, we apply hermeneutics
fining the ensemble (Momente). In Heidegger not as method for understanding but an attempt
and Gadamer, the hermeneutic spiral consists in to clarify the conditions in which understanding
the relation between the concrete partial inter- takes place. Among these conditions are, crucial-
pretation of something and the totality of un- ly, prejudices and fore-meanings in the mind of
derstanding (the horizon of meaning) in which the interpreter. Understanding is therefore inter-
the interpretation is always already located. Hei- pretation, which uses one’s own preconceptions
degger demonstrates the fundamental spiral so that the meaning of the object can really be
structure of understanding, where understand- made to speak to us. One of the main problems
ing belongs to the existential constitution of hu- is with is how to distinguish ‘true prejudices’, by
man existence (Dasein), which is always an un- which we understand, from the “false” ones, by
derstanding being-in-the-world (Skolud 2008). which we misunderstand. Gadamer suggests as
Gadamer ties the hermeneutic spiral to the pos- a solution to develop a “historical” self-aware-
itive and productive prejudice, preconception. ness which makes conscious one’s own prejudic-
The understanding of meaning (Sinn) with the es and allows one to isolate and evaluate an ob-
living and the understanding of meaning of the ject on its own. Another important condition in
past are integrated into a history of effects that which understanding takes place is temporal dis-
encompasses both the life and cognitive horizon tance. For Gadamer, present and past are firmly
of the one who understands and the object’s ho- connected and the past is not something that has
rizon. Therefore, they have their starting point to be painfully regained in each present, if the
in judgments and opinions shaped by the his- interpreter has the tool to decode it. We argue
tory of effects already implying prejudices and that visitors exploring heritage are linked in the
preconceptions, so that every interpretation in- same fashion with pre-understanding and preju-
cludes the distinctive appropriation of one’s own dice as Gadamer defines these terms. Not being
prejudices and preconceptions. Understanding able to decode cultural content has a proven con-
interpretation takes place only through factual sequence for the aspect of the heritage engage-
examination of the prejudices as preconceptions ment: meaning fusion and misunderstanding
and their modification, deepening and revi- (Horizontverschmelzung).
applying the inter pr etive equation to facilitating cultur al exper iences ... 15 or a meaning from the explanation, this is the ing (pre-conceptions and prejudices) we do gain
means that enlightens the reasons through the new experiences and insights that change the in-
relationship of cause and effect (Vedder 2000). dividual horizon. In essence, Gadamer is inter-
In the 20th century Heidegger and Gadamer de- ested in what he calls “hermeneutic experience”,
fine the hermeneutical spiral on the basis of the i.e., multiple possibilities of the hermeneutic ex-
relationship of partial and holistic components perience of truth, not only in the pure upper field
of a creation e.g., text, expression, work of art. of philosophy, but also in the field of historical
Gadamer introduces the concept of the holistic sciences and, above all, of art (Δημητρακόπουλος
understanding (Verstehensganzheit/Sinnhori- 2001; Bricker 2020, 1). Follow Gadamer, we re-
zont) of a creation, the historic horizon, which gard the condition between perception and un-
includes also the analysis (Gadamer 1990, 493). derstanding, as two different components: we re-
In order for a creation to be understood, the in- late perception to the neuro-physiological ability
terpreter has to pre-understand the connections, to perceive without social meaning, while we re-
interdependencies and cohesion of the parts, gard understanding as imbued with social mean-
within any creation lies. In order to understand ing, prejudices, prior knowledge and potential
the cohesion and interdependencies of a given insights. To defeat time-distance decay, e.g., to
work of art one should have perceived first the offer contemporary visitors the chance to un-
relationships among their parts, the factors de- derstand the remote past, we apply hermeneutics
fining the ensemble (Momente). In Heidegger not as method for understanding but an attempt
and Gadamer, the hermeneutic spiral consists in to clarify the conditions in which understanding
the relation between the concrete partial inter- takes place. Among these conditions are, crucial-
pretation of something and the totality of un- ly, prejudices and fore-meanings in the mind of
derstanding (the horizon of meaning) in which the interpreter. Understanding is therefore inter-
the interpretation is always already located. Hei- pretation, which uses one’s own preconceptions
degger demonstrates the fundamental spiral so that the meaning of the object can really be
structure of understanding, where understand- made to speak to us. One of the main problems
ing belongs to the existential constitution of hu- is with is how to distinguish ‘true prejudices’, by
man existence (Dasein), which is always an un- which we understand, from the “false” ones, by
derstanding being-in-the-world (Skolud 2008). which we misunderstand. Gadamer suggests as
Gadamer ties the hermeneutic spiral to the pos- a solution to develop a “historical” self-aware-
itive and productive prejudice, preconception. ness which makes conscious one’s own prejudic-
The understanding of meaning (Sinn) with the es and allows one to isolate and evaluate an ob-
living and the understanding of meaning of the ject on its own. Another important condition in
past are integrated into a history of effects that which understanding takes place is temporal dis-
encompasses both the life and cognitive horizon tance. For Gadamer, present and past are firmly
of the one who understands and the object’s ho- connected and the past is not something that has
rizon. Therefore, they have their starting point to be painfully regained in each present, if the
in judgments and opinions shaped by the his- interpreter has the tool to decode it. We argue
tory of effects already implying prejudices and that visitors exploring heritage are linked in the
preconceptions, so that every interpretation in- same fashion with pre-understanding and preju-
cludes the distinctive appropriation of one’s own dice as Gadamer defines these terms. Not being
prejudices and preconceptions. Understanding able to decode cultural content has a proven con-
interpretation takes place only through factual sequence for the aspect of the heritage engage-
examination of the prejudices as preconceptions ment: meaning fusion and misunderstanding
and their modification, deepening and revi- (Horizontverschmelzung).
