Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Associate Professor of Philosophy, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 Phd student at Khatam University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In his hermeneutic theory, E.D. Hirsch emphasizes the issue of validity in text interpretation. Consequently, he links the understanding of a text's meaning with the comprehension of the author's intended meaning as the criterion of truth. According to Hirsch, since meaning is once determined by the author's intent, the meaning of a text is the same as the author's intended meaning, which has the capability of being transferred and shared with other readers. Moreover, because every statement has a reciprocal relationship with meaning and interpretation, interpreting a text requires awareness of the structure of language and the conditions under which it was formed. Hirsch thus aims to defend the author's intent in text interpretation based on advancements in linguistics and philosophy of language. He introduces the concept of genre as one of the fundamental principles and guides for understanding the author's intended meaning. Accordingly, Hirsch develops a methodology for finding meaning through genre-based inference. This paper, using a descriptive-analytical approach, examines Hirsch’s concept of genre. It first seeks to elucidate Hirsch's argument regarding the use of genre in achieving the author's intent, and then it will review and evaluate Hirsch’s idea of genre in his hermeneutic theory.
Keywords: understanding, interpretation, genre, meaning, type.
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