hermeneutics
Science of meaning
Hermeneutics is the theory and practice of interpretation, especially of texts.
The term originated in biblical scholarship—methods for interpreting scripture—but now applies to interpreting any text, artwork, or human expression.
Philosophers use hermeneutics to explore how understanding itself works: how readers bring their own contexts to texts, and how meaning emerges from that encounter.
Literary hermeneutics examines how readers construct meaning from ambiguous passages.
Study of subjective experience
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- dialecticsReasoning through contradiction
- GadamerHermeneutics philosopher, twentieth-century German
Heidegger · Schleiermacher · historicity · being-in-the-world · method · truth · prejudice · tradition
Expressed or intended meaning
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
- semioticsStudy of signs, symbols
- connotationImplied sense, not dictionary
- denotationWord's explicit dictionary meaning
symbolism · subtext · nuance · implication · allusion · metaphor · allegory · polysemy
Systematic explanatory presentation
- construalAct of interpreting meaning
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- comprehensionMental understanding of meaning
explanation · clarification · meaning-making · contextualization · elucidation · sense-making · unpacking · reading
Of sacred texts
- scripturalOf sacred writings
- homileticsScience of sermon-making
- apologeticsSystematic doctrine defense
- typologyClassification by shared traits
allegory · canonical · revelation · inspiration · midrash
Sacred religious writings
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- canonAccepted authoritative works
- gospelSacred choral tradition
- epistleFormal literary letter
codex · Torah · Quran · Vedas · Talmud · patristic · classical · literary
Component-to-complete relationship
- iterationRepeated procedural pass
- spiralCurve winding around center
- revisionAltering to improve
- horizonApparent earth-sky meeting
anticipation · projection · return · reflexivity · recursion · dialogue · questioning · openness
phenomenology
Study of subjective experience
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- dialecticsReasoning through contradiction
Gadamer · Heidegger · Schleiermacher · historicity · being-in-the-world · method · truth · prejudice · tradition · finitude
signification
Expressed or intended meaning
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
- semioticsStudy of signs, symbols
- connotationImplied sense, not dictionary
denotation · symbolism · subtext · nuance · implication · allusion · metaphor · allegory · polysemy · ambiguity
exposition
Systematic explanatory presentation
- construalAct of interpreting meaning
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
- understandingMental comprehension of something
comprehension · explanation · clarification · meaning-making · contextualization · elucidation · sense-making · unpacking · reading · application
biblical
Of sacred texts
- scripturalOf sacred writings
- homileticsScience of sermon-making
- apologeticsSystematic doctrine defense
typology · allegory · canonical · revelation · inspiration · midrash
scripture
Sacred religious writings
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- canonAccepted authoritative works
- gospelSacred choral tradition
epistle · codex · Torah · Quran · Vedas · Talmud · patristic · classical · literary · legal
part-whole
Component-to-complete relationship
horizon · anticipation · projection · return · reflexivity · recursion · dialogue · questioning · openness
hermeneuticspositivism
Philosophy demanding verifiable evidence
empiricism · scientism · objectivism · naturalism · data science
hermeneuticscomposition
Arranged elements forming whole
deconstruction · nihilism · rhetoric · meaninglessness · authorship
- hermeneutic circleUnderstanding through recursive interpretation