The Foundations of Social Research Ch 5

Chapter Five: InterpretivismChapter Five: Interpretivism

The Way of HermeneuticsThe Way of Hermeneutics

Foundations of Social ResearchFoundations of Social Research

Michael CrottyMichael Crotty

The Foundations of Social The Foundations of Social ResearchResearch

Historically, Hermeneutics comes from the Historically, Hermeneutics comes from the science of biblical interpretation (17science of biblical interpretation (17thth Century)Century)

How does one interpret the meaning of a How does one interpret the meaning of a holy text?holy text?

The actual explanation of what a biblical The actual explanation of what a biblical text means is text means is exegesisexegesis


Hermeneutics: exegesisHermeneutics: exegesisGrammar: languageGrammar: languageLogic: reasoningLogic: reasoningHermeneutics expanded to texts beyond Hermeneutics expanded to texts beyond

the bible, then to unwritten sources i.e., the bible, then to unwritten sources i.e., human practices, human events, human human practices, human events, human situations in an attempt to “read” these in situations in an attempt to “read” these in ways that bring understanding.ways that bring understanding.


Hermeneutics reinforces notion that we Hermeneutics reinforces notion that we are essentially languaged beings.are essentially languaged beings.

Language is pivotal to and shapes the Language is pivotal to and shapes the situations in which we find ourselves situations in which we find ourselves enmeshed, the events which befall us, the enmeshed, the events which befall us, the practices we carry out and, in and through practices we carry out and, in and through all of this, the understandings we are able all of this, the understandings we are able to reach.to reach.


In the old view of language, first came the In the old view of language, first came the “given reality,” then came perception, then “given reality,” then came perception, then came language.came language.

In the linguistic turn, language and the way In the linguistic turn, language and the way we “speak” shape what things we see and we “speak” shape what things we see and how we see them and it is those things how we see them and it is those things shaped for us by language that constitute shaped for us by language that constitute reality for us.reality for us.


RicouerRicouerThe Symbol gives rise to thoughtThe Symbol gives rise to thoughtThe basic premise of hermeneuticsThe basic premise of hermeneuticsHermeneutics is defined as a method for Hermeneutics is defined as a method for

deciphering indirect meaning, a reflective deciphering indirect meaning, a reflective practice of unmasking hidden meanings practice of unmasking hidden meanings beneath apparent ones.beneath apparent ones.


In Ancient Greek mythology, Hermes, the divine In Ancient Greek mythology, Hermes, the divine messenger used to interpret the messages of messenger used to interpret the messages of the Gods to the humans. His job was to go from the Gods to the humans. His job was to go from the familiar to the unfamiliar and backthe familiar to the unfamiliar and back

Famous hermeneuticists: Heidegger, Dilthey, Famous hermeneuticists: Heidegger, Dilthey, Gadamer, RicouerGadamer, Ricouer

Even though hermeneutics was formalized as a Even though hermeneutics was formalized as a discipline within the late renaissance, early discipline within the late renaissance, early enlightenment time of Christianity, it was also enlightenment time of Christianity, it was also practiced by the Greeks and the Jews.practiced by the Greeks and the Jews.


In hermeneutics, texts are seen as alien, In hermeneutics, texts are seen as alien, foreign, unfamiliar, distant. But there is foreign, unfamiliar, distant. But there is also a paradoxical affinity/connection also a paradoxical affinity/connection between text and readerbetween text and reader

Additionally, hermeneutics is interested in Additionally, hermeneutics is interested in the implications and applications of textsthe implications and applications of textsEx. Legal textsEx. Legal textsTexts are very much situated in communities Texts are very much situated in communities

and contexts of negotiated meaningand contexts of negotiated meaning


Imbedded in hermeneutics is the endeavor Imbedded in hermeneutics is the endeavor to reach beyond the author’s meanings to reach beyond the author’s meanings and intentions. Indeed the text cannot be and intentions. Indeed the text cannot be contained by the author alone.contained by the author alone.

What are the implications and potential What are the implications and potential pitfalls of this endeavor?pitfalls of this endeavor?


The Hermeneutic CircleThe Hermeneutic Circle In order to understand something, one needs In order to understand something, one needs

to begin with ideas, and to use terms that to begin with ideas, and to use terms that presuppose a rudimentary understanding of presuppose a rudimentary understanding of what one is trying to understand. what one is trying to understand. Understanding turns out to be a development Understanding turns out to be a development of what is already understood, with the more of what is already understood, with the more developed understanding returning to developed understanding returning to illuminate and enlarge one’s starting point.illuminate and enlarge one’s starting point.


The Hermeneutic Circle continued…The Hermeneutic Circle continued…Also…Also…Understand the whole by looking at its Understand the whole by looking at its

parts. Understand the parts by looking at parts. Understand the parts by looking at the wholethe whole

Also…Also…Start with the familiar, address the Start with the familiar, address the

unfamiliar, add it to the familiar unfamiliar, add it to the familiar (Gadamer’s bordering frontiers concept)(Gadamer’s bordering frontiers concept)


Founders of Modern Hermeneutics that moved it Founders of Modern Hermeneutics that moved it from the realm of the strictly biblical beyond…from the realm of the strictly biblical beyond… Friedrich AstFriedrich Ast Friedrich SchleiermacherFriedrich Schleiermacher 1) Empathy in the speaker-listener interchange can 1) Empathy in the speaker-listener interchange can

be extended to the interpretation of textsbe extended to the interpretation of texts 2) Attention to grammar situating and shaping literary 2) Attention to grammar situating and shaping literary

contextcontext 3) Psychology-attention to intentions and assumptions 3) Psychology-attention to intentions and assumptions

of authorof author


Dilthey’s Objective MindDilthey’s Objective MindLife and History are inextricably Life and History are inextricably

intertwinedintertwinedPhilosophy as science of the real, all the Philosophy as science of the real, all the

real without truncationsreal without truncationsHuman understanding can never exhaust Human understanding can never exhaust

the real though and there will always be the real though and there will always be mysteries and uncertainties.mysteries and uncertainties.


Dilthey continuedDilthey continued All life is historical lifeAll life is historical life All people live within history and nothing, All people live within history and nothing,

therefore, is definitivetherefore, is definitive Study of the natural realm and the social realm Study of the natural realm and the social realm

requires different methodsrequires different methods Initially, Dilthey felt that through empathy, we Initially, Dilthey felt that through empathy, we

could relive past events.could relive past events. Later, he revised his position and accepted that Later, he revised his position and accepted that

people’s speech, writings, art and behavior were people’s speech, writings, art and behavior were a product of their times.a product of their times.


Dilthey continuedDilthey continued The authors historical and social context is the prime The authors historical and social context is the prime

source of understanding.source of understanding. The human context is an objectification or externalizationThe human context is an objectification or externalization

—an ‘expression’ of human consciousness. This is the —an ‘expression’ of human consciousness. This is the ‘objective mind.’‘objective mind.’

People’s lived experience is incarnate in language, People’s lived experience is incarnate in language, literature, behavior, art, religion, law—in their every literature, behavior, art, religion, law—in their every cultural institution and structure.cultural institution and structure.

In Dilthey’s hermeneutic circle, the interpreter moves In Dilthey’s hermeneutic circle, the interpreter moves from the text, to the historical and social circumstances from the text, to the historical and social circumstances of the author, and attempts to reconstruct the world in of the author, and attempts to reconstruct the world in which the text came to be and to situate the text within it which the text came to be and to situate the text within it and back again.and back again.


Heidegger’s Phenomenological Heidegger’s Phenomenological HermeneuticsHermeneutics

Hermeneutics is the revelatory aspect of Hermeneutics is the revelatory aspect of phenomenological seeing whereby phenomenological seeing whereby existence (its structures) and being come existence (its structures) and being come into viewinto view

Heidegger’s focus is ontology? Review of Heidegger’s focus is ontology? Review of chapter one…chapter one…


Heidegger continuedHeidegger continued ““Only as phenomenology is ontology possible” Only as phenomenology is ontology possible”

Philosophy is ontology, ontology is Philosophy is ontology, ontology is phenomenology.phenomenology.

Dasein: Phenomenology of human beingDasein: Phenomenology of human being Forestructure of being: pre-understanding of Forestructure of being: pre-understanding of

being within all of us.being within all of us. Hermeneutics is NOT a body of principles or Hermeneutics is NOT a body of principles or

rules for interpreting texts, nor is it a rules for interpreting texts, nor is it a methodology for the human sciences, methodology for the human sciences,


Heidegger continuedHeidegger continuedHeidegger’s hermeneutics starts with a Heidegger’s hermeneutics starts with a

phenomenological return to our being, phenomenological return to our being, which presents itself to us initially in a which presents itself to us initially in a nebulous and undeveloped fashion, and nebulous and undeveloped fashion, and then seeks to unfold that pre-then seeks to unfold that pre-understanding, make explicit what is understanding, make explicit what is implicit, and grasp the meaning of being implicit, and grasp the meaning of being itself.itself.


Heidegger continuedHeidegger continuedAlso describes hermeneutics as a circular Also describes hermeneutics as a circular

phenomenaphenomena In our quest for being, we begin with and In our quest for being, we begin with and

from a pre-understanding of being. We from a pre-understanding of being. We then unfold the rudimentary understanding then unfold the rudimentary understanding and render explicit and thematic what is at and render explicit and thematic what is at first implicit and unthematised.first implicit and unthematised.


Heidegger continuedHeidegger continued Explicating the implicit and unthematized leads Explicating the implicit and unthematized leads

us to grasp the structures of being that make us to grasp the structures of being that make human existence and behavior possible and human existence and behavior possible and then on to a grasping of being itself. Then we then on to a grasping of being itself. Then we are more enlightened and we begin again (See are more enlightened and we begin again (See figure 5, p. 98).figure 5, p. 98).

For insights on being, look to poetry and historyFor insights on being, look to poetry and history


Gadamer’s historical hermeneuticsGadamer’s historical hermeneutics People are thoroughly historical, ‘historically People are thoroughly historical, ‘historically

effected’ consciousnesses.effected’ consciousnesses. 1) We stand in tradition1) We stand in tradition 2) All tradition is wedded to language2) All tradition is wedded to language The fusion of horizons that takes place in the The fusion of horizons that takes place in the

understanding is actually the achievement of understanding is actually the achievement of language.language.

His is a historical understanding that mediates His is a historical understanding that mediates past and present.past and present.


If Heidegger finds meaning in poetry, Gadamer If Heidegger finds meaning in poetry, Gadamer finds it in art.finds it in art.

He is interested in judging historical art, rather He is interested in judging historical art, rather than contemporary art, why?than contemporary art, why?

History does not belong to us, it is not a private History does not belong to us, it is not a private enterprise, we belong to it.enterprise, we belong to it.

For Gadamer, the starting point is not the self, For Gadamer, the starting point is not the self, but the tradition in which we stand and which we but the tradition in which we stand and which we are meant to serve.are meant to serve.

Consider the cultural tradition as a ‘given.’Consider the cultural tradition as a ‘given.’


The Movement of understanding is from The Movement of understanding is from the whole to the part and back to the the whole to the part and back to the whole. Expand the unity of the understood whole. Expand the unity of the understood meaning centrifigully i.e., extend the unity meaning centrifigully i.e., extend the unity of understanding in ever-widening circles of understanding in ever-widening circles by moving from whole to part and from by moving from whole to part and from part to whole.part to whole.


Applications: Theory and literary criticismApplications: Theory and literary criticism Continuum that privileges author or text at one Continuum that privileges author or text at one

end and reader at the other…end and reader at the other… Eco: beware of overinterpretation, what is that?Eco: beware of overinterpretation, what is that? Eco wants to establish dialectical link between Eco wants to establish dialectical link between

intentio operis (intention of the work) and intentio intentio operis (intention of the work) and intentio lectoris (intention of the reader)lectoris (intention of the reader)

Eco believes texts have a certain unity and Eco believes texts have a certain unity and coherence and there are limits/boundaries to coherence and there are limits/boundaries to reasonable interpretations.reasonable interpretations.


What is the transactional reading of texts What is the transactional reading of texts about?about?

How should you think about approaching How should you think about approaching texts then, given such an array of opinions texts then, given such an array of opinions and options?and options?


EmpathyEmpathy Interactive approachInteractive approach transactionaltransactional

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The Foundations of Social Research Ch 5