Hermeneutics

The term hermeneutics refers to the science or art of interpretation and is rooted in ancient traditions of theological and juridical understanding. Within the field of education, hermeneutics primarily deals with the theoretical and philosophical principles associated with the interpretation of texts and individuals. Although often associated with ideas of early hermeneutic philosophers such as Friedrich Schleiermacher, Wilhelm Dilthey, and Edmund Husserl, the work of Martin Heidegger and Hans-Georg Gadamer also plays a definitive role in the way hermeneutics is conceptualized in philosophy and the human sciences. As a result, different traditions within the field of hermeneutics distinguish between these specific perspectives.

For example, conservative or objectivist hermeneutics involves bracketing out fore-conceptions as an essential part of finding meaning. In contrast, critical hermeneutics, based on the ...