Language and Understanding Others in Gadamers¨ Hermeneutics

Abstract

In this article we will review the arguments that support the hermeneutic thesis of ontology of language that Gadamer presents in his Truth and Method, analyzing the relationship among concepts of comprehension, language and dialogue. To this end, firstly we will review the term linguisticality to highlight the linguistic-ontological nature of comprehension. Later, we will examine a fundamental thesis on the philosophical hermeneutics is to understand the language as meaning of the world, which is opposed to the reductionist thesis of language as a mere instrument. Finally, we are interested in displaying the relevance of this hermeneutic conception of language as condition for understanding others and the preeminence of the practical dimension involving this concept.