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Single Idea 23212

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 3. Hermeneutics ]

Full Idea

The same text allows innumerable interpretations: there is no 'correct' interpretation.

Gist of Idea

A text has many interpretations, but no 'correct' one

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (Unpublished Notebooks 1885-86 [1886], 1[120])

Book Ref

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Fragments from 1885-86 (v 16)', ed/tr. Del Caro,Adrian [Stanford 2020], p.287

A Reaction

It is hard to defend a 'correct' interpretation, but I think it is obvious to students of literature that some interpretations are very silly, such as reading things allegorically when there was no such intention.

The 15 ideas with the same theme [seeking rhetorical explanation instead of hard facts]:

5435 An interpreter of a text, because of wider knowledge, can understand it better than its author [Schleiermacher, by Mautner]
22028 Unity emerges from understanding particulars, so understanding is prior to seeing unity [Schleiermacher]
5437 The claim of hermeneutics to give knowledge through understanding is challenged by positivism [Mautner on Dilthey]
24147 Thoughts are uncertain, and are just occasions for interpretation [Nietzsche]
23212 A text has many interpretations, but no 'correct' one [Nietzsche]
23075 A text explained ceases to be a text [Cioran]
21892 Interpretations can be interpreted, so there is no original 'meaning' available [Derrida]
5438 Hermeneutics of tradition is sympathetic, hermeneutics of suspicion is hostile [Ricoeur, by Mautner]
20925 Hermeneutics blunts truth, by conforming it to the interpreter [Derrida, by Zimmermann,J]
20934 Hermeneutics is hostile, trying to overcome the other person's difference [Derrida, by Zimmermann,J]
5439 The 'hermeneutic circle' says parts and wholes are interdependent, and so cannot be interpreted [Mautner]
15575 Knowledge is not a static set of correct propositions, but a continuing search for better interpretations [Polt]
23449 Interpreting a text is representing it as making sense [Morris,M]
23408 The hermeneutic circle is either within the text, or between text and biased reader [Norden]
23407 Heremeneutics is either 'faith' (examining truth) or 'suspicion' (looking for hidden motives) [Norden]