Hermeneutic Philosophy: The Art of Interpretation Course/Class March 20, 2012

Hermeneutics is the theory and practice of textual interpretation. Originally hermeneutics was applied only to biblical exegesis, but by the 20th C it had become the philosophy of understanding and meaning creation in all areas of human life. In this course we will follow the development of this branch of philosophy through its main exponents: Dilthey, Gadamer, Ricoeur and Habermas. We will then consider one of the most hermeneutic literary critics of the 20th C: Harold Bloom, through his work on Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson and others. We will also look at some contemporary theories of metaphor: all human language employs metaphor; it serves as the often unconscious foundation of ideas: but how does it work? And end the course with a hermeneutic analysis of the novels of John Steinbeck. Details of this event may be subject to change. Please visit http://www.cce.usyd.edu.au/course/hpta for more information or to register.

Official Website: http://www.cce.usyd.edu.au/course/hpta