Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics is the science and/or philosophy of interpretation.  In the world of communication, an understanding of interpretation is vital, in any facet or medium, to convey and understand the messages that are sent to an audience.

Unlike with semiotics, of which I have a firmer grasp, hermeneutics is a brand new area for me to learn about.  Both of these sciences/philosophies share similar aspects as they both pertain to communication and interpretation.

Hermeneutics is broken done into five theories.  The First theory of Hermeneutics is the theory of Natural Hermeneutics. Natural Hermeneutics deals with “the spontaneous, everyday, usually unreflective interpreting we do when inter- subjective understanding breaks down”.  This is a very basic level of interpretation that requires less mental response from an audience.  It is how we understand and interpret the basis of our life and our everyday surroundings.

The second theory of Hermeneutics is the Normative theory. The Normative theory is “the art of text interpretation as a deliberate discipline by a specialist caste”. This is how we understand and define titles and roles, such as “Priests, judges or lawyers.”

The third theory is the Scientific theory of Hermeneutics. The Scientific theory is “the foundational discipline of the human or historical sciences”.  This is our interpretations of the scientific world and the past.  With each step in the levels of hermeneutics, the mental processing and thinking required to interpret increases.

Theory four is the theory of Philosophical Hermeneutics.  The Philosophical theory is “a general philosophy of existence. Interpreting is less what we do and more what we are-- interpreters” . The best way to explain this is the way we sometimes question our roles or our own existence.  This is how we understand the roles of our lives of ourselves.

The final theory is the Depth theory of hermeneutics. The Depth theory is the “hermeneutics of suspicion enlightenment project of emancipation and liberation from social dogma and oppression”.  This is where our minds work to there fullest extent.  It is our inherent nature to question the interpretation of things around us. This theory is called the Depth theory because it goes beyond our level of consciousness. This can tie into other areas of study such as Freud’s studies and investigations into the unconscious and subconscious mind.

Understanding these theories helps to increase out levels of interpretation throughout the world of communication.  Hermeneutics helps to increase our mental capacities to understand and interpret the things that others understand and interpret. Therefore, it improves our ability to better convey messages and make efficient deliveries.