50 | Hermeneutics and Utopia: From Hans-Georg Gadamer to Ernst Bloch (Part 1)

10/17/22 • 63 min

2 Listeners

In part one of our two-part mini-series on hermeneutics and utopia we discuss the thought of Hans-Georg Gadamer in his 1983 text Praise of Theory. We talk about the importance of prejudice and tradition for self-understanding, ask whether the natural sciences or the human sciences have sole claim to truth, and praise the (qualified) freedom of theory from instrumental reason (continental philosophy even gets a positive shout-out!). The purpose of this mini-series is to assess the insights of hermeneutics for theory and social philosophy, so look forward to our Patron exclusive conclusion on Ernst Bloch!

leftofphilosophy.com | @leftofphil

References:

Hans-Georg Gadamer, Praise of Theory, trans. Chris Dawson (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998).

Hans-Georg Gadamer, Truth and Method, trans. revised by Joel Weinsheimer and Donald G. Marshall (New York: Bloomsbury, 2013).

Music: Vintage Memories by Schematist | schematist.bandcamp.com

leftofphilosophy.com | @leftofphil

References:

Hans-Georg Gadamer, Praise of Theory, trans. Chris Dawson (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998).

Hans-Georg Gadamer, Truth and Method, trans. revised by Joel Weinsheimer and Donald G. Marshall (New York: Bloomsbury, 2013).

Music: Vintage Memories by Schematist | schematist.bandcamp.com

Previous Episode

49 | Coming to Terms with Human Finitude w/ Prof. Martin Hägglund

In this episode we are joined by Martin Hägglund to discuss the existentialist's argument for what makes human life meaningful—and why democratic socialism is the logical conclusion to reach after having considered the matter carefully. We also dig into the limits of social democracy, the need for the state, and the revaluation of value that is yet to come.

leftofphilosophy.com | @leftofphil

Follow Martin: @martinhaegglund | http://martinhagglund.se

References:

Martin Hägglund, This Life: Secular Life and Spiritual Freedom (New York: Penguin Random House, 2020)

What Is Democratic Socialism? Part I: Reclaiming Freedom - Los Angeles Review of Books (lareviewofbooks.org)

What Is Democratic Socialism? Part II: The Immanent Critique of Capitalism - Los Angeles Review of Books (lareviewofbooks.org)

What Is Democratic Socialism? Part III: Life After Capitalism - Los Angeles Review of Books (lareviewofbooks.org)

Music: Vintage Memories by Schematist | schematist.bandcamp.com

Next Episode

51 Teaser | What is Utopia? Part III. Hermeneutics and Utopia: From Hans-Georg Gadamer to Ernst Bloch (Part 2)

In Part Two of our two-part mini-series we discuss the work of Ernst Bloch’s The Principle of Hope. We ask what difference there is between the thought of Bloch and Theodor Adorno, how hope and utopia enable political action, and why so many traditions seem to abhor the concept of utopia. Expand your horizons and come learn how to hope again in this episode!
This is just a small clip from the full episode, which is available to patrons:
patreon.com/leftofphilosophy
References:
Ernst Bloch, The Principle of Hope, vols. 1 &3, trans. Neville Plaice, Stephen Plaice & Paul Knight (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1986).
Ernst Bloch and Theodor Adorno, “Something’s Missing: A Discussion between Ernst Bloch and Theodor W. Adorno on the Contradictions of Utopian Longing (1964)” in Ernst Bloch, The Utopian Function of Art and Literature, trans. Jack Zipes and Frank Mecklenburg (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1988).
Music: Vintage Memories by Schematist | schematist.bandcamp.com