解释学的两种类型:为己之学与为人之学

Two Types of Hermeneutics: Learning for Oneself and Learing for Others

作者认为,无论是以伽达默为代表的当代解释学,还是其所试图超越的以施莱尔马赫和狄尔太为代表的启蒙解释学,尽管差异很大,都可以看作是为己之学,即其目的是解释者自己(无论是个人还是团体)的自我认识,自我修养,自我完善。这当然无可非议,但作者在这里则试图提出一种目标不同的解释学,即为人之学。这种解释学的目的主要不是自我理解,而是要理解他者,而且不是为了自我理解而理解他者,而是为理解他者而理解他者。而理解他者的目的则是为了寻找与他者行为处世的道德方式。

There are two types of hermeneutics in terms of the purpose of interpretation: hermeneutics for the sake of the interpreters self cultivation and hermeneutics for the sake of understanding the other. While neither is superior to the other and both are necessary, this article focuses on the hermeneutics for the sake of understanding the other, as this has been generally neglected in contemporary discourse and yet has become increasingly important in this emerging global world. The most appropriate moral principle in this global world is “do(or not do not) do unto others as others would(or would not) have us to do unto them (the “copper rule”). This requires us to have adequate understanding of others, and it is possible as we can have such understanding confirmed by others.