Hans-Georg Gadamer

Hans-Georg Gadamer was a German philosopher who developed the theory of philosophical hermeneutics, which is the study of the interpretation of texts and human understanding. He was influenced by his teacher Martin Heidegger, as well as by Wilhelm Dilthey, Edmund Husserl, and Plato. He is best known for his 1960 magnum opus, Truth and Method (Wahrheit und Methode), in which he argued that truth is not a matter of applying a method or criteria, but an event or experience of dialogue and openness to the other. He also explored the themes of language, art, history, tradition, and practical philosophy in his many writings and lectures. He was a prolific scholar who taught at various universities in Germany and abroad. He received many honors and awards for his contributions to philosophy, such as the Hegel Prize, the Goethe Medal, the Kyoto Prize, and the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. He died in 2002 at the age of 102.¹¹¹¹