The Foundations of Interpretation (PHIL30024)

This subject explores the theories of meaning and interpretation developed in contemporary European thought. We will examine questions such as: How do we make sense of texts from other cultures and times? What is it to interpret a text? What is deconstruction? Is the meaning of a text determined by the author's intentions? Does what we write or say have a single determinate meaning or can conflicting interpretations be equally valid? Is there a robust distinction between fiction and non-fiction? Major thinkers discussed will be chosen from Heidegger, Gadamer, Habermas, Saussure, Barthes, Derrida, and Butler. We will also consider whether radical interpretation – the interpretation of the language of a totally foreign culture – is possible, and if so by which methods (Quine, Davidson).