CULTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL CRISIS ROOTS OF CLASSICAL MIND IN HANS-GEORG GADAMER INTERPRETATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31392/cult.alm.2024.4.21Keywords:
Antiquity, classical thinking, Nietzsche, Plato, Socrates, Hans Gadamer, dialog, culture, philosophyAbstract
The historical, philosophical, and socio-cultural changes affecting the integrity of society highlight the crisis facing classical thinking within the context of modern global anthropology. Today, the study of the ontological foundations of this crisis is vital for philosophically understanding a world that seeks to explain the subjectivity, irrationality, and dynamism of human nature. This inquiry is directly connected to existing worldview issues, such as alienation, the search for meaning, crises of identity, and the growing distrust of traditional institutions of knowledge and morality. This article focuses on the problematic relationship between classical and non-classical paradigms of thought, both of which have significantly influenced the formation of contemporary worldviews. The tension among classical, non-classical, and postmodern perspectives at the turn of the epochs has led to worldview crises that result in sociopolitical, cultural, and philosophical confrontations. Philosophical hermeneutics raises an important question: how can a philosophical and cultural dialogue across epochs be achieved today? The artistic and philosophical heritage of the past serves as a continuous field for interpretation. The quality of this interpretation, along with the relevance of translating specific works, will determine the future for new generations, whose culture and thinking are shaped by the perspectives and horizons established by philosophy. Modern hermeneutics is based on various paradigms of thought and the worldviews of different eras, allowing for a dialogue between the present and the past. This article examines Hans Gadamer’s hermeneutical experience in the context of Friedrich Nietzsche’s critique of ancient philosophy, particularly regarding Socrates and Plato. Nietzsche disapproved of Socrates’ moral principles, viewing them as a denial of vital energy and instincts. Friedrich Nietzsche, by rejecting the concepts of objective morality and ethical rationalism, called for a «reassessment of all values». This idea became the foundation for philosophical relativism and moral subjectivity. The dismissal of objective standards for good and evil has created a new paradigm that has led to an identity crisis and a loss of stable moral guidelines. Consequently, this has resulted in a decrease in public trust, a breakdown of social ties, and a rise in selfishness, all of which pose a serious threat to the sustainable development of society. Nietzsche’s influence on European thought significantly shaped the philosophical outlook of Hans Gadamer. Nietzsche’s critique of Platonism and Christianity was instrumental in the development of non-classical thinking, which greatly influenced 20th-century philosophical trends. This includes the work of Martin Heidegger, the founder of fundamental ontology, and his student, Hans Gadamer, the founder of philosophical hermeneutics.
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