Gadamer im Gespräch mit Droysen – Über die Zukunft der Altertumswissenschaften

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Zurück zum Heft: Archiv für Begriffsgeschichte. Band 66,2
DOI: 10.28937/9783787349746_6

EUR 16,90

This contribution examines the evolution of historical understanding through the lens of perspectivity and interpretation, highlighting the contributions of Johann Gustav Droysen, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and contemporary debates. Droysen emphasized forschendes Verstehen (“understanding through research”) and the importance of subjectivity in historical inquiry. Gadamer, while critical of Droysen’s research-focused understanding, proposed historical interpretation as a dialogical process, culminating in the “fusion of horizons” (Horizontverschmelzung) that integrates past and present perspectives. In recent scholarship, figures like Dan-el Padilla Peralta advocate for the “decolonization” of classical studies, addressing racial biases and encouraging greater political engagement. While these efforts can enrich the discipline, critics warn of potential compromises to academic rigor. Both Gadamer and Droysen, however, stress the inseparability of historical interpretation from present contexts. Gadamer’s dialogical approach offers a nuanced framework for engaging with antiquity, resisting dogmatism while embracing the diversity of scholarly traditions. This perspective remains vital in addressing the epistemic and ethical challenges faced by modern historical sciences.