12 - Hermeneutics

Summary

This chapter introduces non-Western perspectives on hermeneutics. The reception of Martin Heidegger and Hans-Georg Gadamer across the globe is a particularly striking case of the transcultural transfer of ideas. Over the twentieth century, philosophers from the Arab and Persian world, India, China, and Japan, have engaged with Heidegger’s account of understanding and Gadamer’s theory of hermeneutic experience and effective history. This reception has often taken place against the backdrop of the philosophers’ own intellectual traditions and interpretative practices. In addition to introducing several different perspectives, with special emphasis on China, this contribution discusses the advantages of a truly global perspective on hermeneutics.