Gadamer's Poetics: A Critique of Modern Aesthetics

Description

Gadamer's writing on art is typically seen as supporting his philosophical theory of truth. Drawing together a coherent theory of the work of art from the corpus of Gadamer's writings, this is the first full-length examination of Gadamer's theory of the work of art in its own right. Close readings of Gadamer's treatment of aesthetics in Truth and Method, as well as his many essays and lectures on art, highlight an approach to art that is not ancillary to historical, philosophical, and linguistic themes. The book establishes Gadamer's position on the criteria for the judgment of art, and the balance between production and reception from a hermeneutic perspective. Offering useful insights to some of the most tantalizing and obscure Gadamerian themes, this not only makes a significant addition to Gadamer scholarship, but provides aesthetics scholars, critics, and interpreters with new ways of thinking about art.

John Arthos is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Denison University, USA.

Viewing it as one of his proudest achievements, Gadamer always regretted that his poetics was perhaps the most overlooked aspect of his work. After this thorough and engaging book, this is thankfully no longer the case. It will go a long ways toward correcting the relative neglect of Gadamer in contemporary aesthetics and revising some misconceptions about him as a classicist and a "traditionalist". -- Jean Grondin, University of Montreal, author of Hans-Georg Gadamer. A Biography (Yale U Press, 2003) The fundamental impulse of Gadamer's hermeneutics is to understand our experience of art, especially poetry. Arthos' penetrating analysis is our best guide into the heart of Gadamer's work. -- Professor Donald Marshall, Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books in the Humanities/Teacher Education Division of Seaver College, Pepperdine University, USA The thorough reconstruction of Gadamer's later works, the suggestive examples from various arts as well as the compelling study case of Clytemnestra will enhance the hermeneutic approach in the philosophy of art and will also capture the interest of a wide audience. -- Mirela Oliva, Assistant Professor, University of St. Thomas, Houston, USA A unique contribution to the hermeneutic understanding of art. Arthos provides a probing elaboration of Gadamer's ontology of the artwork, culminating with an innovative study of the figure of Clytemnestra that illustrates the historical dimensions Gadamer's hermeneutic approach. -- Daniel Tate, Associate Professor, St. Bonaventure University, USA John Arthos, the leading American interpreter of Gadamer, shows us why the traditional readings of Hans-Georg Gadamer on art are all mistaken. Gadamer's Poetics is essential reading for anyone interested in what hermeneutics, in its fully radical form, has to tell us about art. -- David Vessey, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Grand Valley State University, USA