Lauren Swayne Barthold Livres

This book draws on the hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer to inform a feminist perspective of social identities. Lauren Swayne Barthold moves beyond answers that either defend the objective nature of identities or dismiss their significance altogether. Building on the work of both hermeneutic and non-hermeneutic feminist theorists of identity, she asserts the relevance of concepts like horizon, coherence, dialogue, play, application, and festival for developing a theory of identity. This volume argues that as intersubjective interpretations, social identities are vital ways of fostering meaning and connection with others. Barthold also demonstrates how a hermeneutic approach to social identities can provide critiques of and resistance to identity-based oppression.

Civic dialogue is presented as a powerful solution to the challenges posed by a polarized society. The author emphasizes the importance of building trust through structured discourse that incorporates personal narratives, fostering openness and mutual understanding. By encouraging active listening and reflection, this approach allows individuals to express their unique identities while connecting over shared human experiences. Drawing on philosophical and psychological insights, the book advocates for civic dialogue as a means to cultivate pluralistic democratic communities and mitigate ineffective political debates.

Gadamer's Dialectical Hermeneutics explores the importance of Plato in Gadamer's hermeneutics, emphasizing a dialectic that reflects the Platonic separation between the transcendent and sensory realms. Lauren Swayne Barthold argues that Gadamer highlights the "in-between" nature of human understanding, likening it to Hermes: finite beings striving for infinity beyond being. This dialectical perspective clarifies key themes in Gadamer's work. It illustrates his affirmation of both theory and practice in hermeneutics, emphasizing that truth is an event of understanding we engage with rather than a separate criterion. The book also sheds light on the significance of dialogue, highlighting the essential role of the other in understanding. Additionally, it substantiates the concept of the good-beyond-being as vital to comprehension. Barthold's reading of Gadamer transcends labels like realism or essentialism, revealing his primary aim to uncover the ethical and dialectically ethical dimensions of philosophy, as well as its practical implications.