Generative hermeneutics

Proposal for an alliance with critical realism

Bibliographic Data

ID21159460
AuthorsMartin Durdovic (0000-0002-1471-662X, Czech Academy of Sciences, corresponding author)
Year2018
Volume17
Issue3
Pages244-261
Publication date2018-05-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Critical Realism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1476-7430 • E-ISSN: 1572-5138
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14767430.2018.1511189
OpenAlexW2891812213
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited21

This article deals with the recent interest shown by critical realists in the study of generative mechanisms in sociology and proposes stronger integration of hermeneutics into this theoretical approach. There are important differences between realism and hermeneutics. While realism strives to overcome the extremes of empiricism and interpretivism with a new version of naturalism, hermeneutics bases its explanations of society on research into meanings. The question is whether underlining these differences is useful for social theory. On the one hand, underestimating hermeneutics makes it difficult for realists to recognize fully the role that processes of understanding play in generating social change. On the other hand, hermeneutical arguments in sociology idealistically identify being with interpreted being. The concept of generative hermeneutics is designed to help to build an alliance between realism and hermeneutics, since one-sided overemphasis on mechanistic logic devaluates the study of social interaction pursued by interpretative sociology

Empiricism · Epistemology · Epistemology of Wikipedia · Generative grammar · Hermeneutics · Naturalism · Realism · Social epistemology · Sociology · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Critical Realism in Sociology · Philosophy · Social and Cultural Dynamics

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