Gadamer's Hermeneutics and Merleau-Ponty's Conception of "Flesh": An attempt to incorporate a reciprocal relationship with nature into a truly universal hermeneutics

Abstract

This essay examines Gadamer’s hermeneutic philosophy to see the potential it has for a profound interaction with nature, the challenge in this being that Gadamer’s hermeneutics has a strong emphasis on culture and human interaction. It explores this through using the metaphor of a “conversation with nature”, looking to see if this may be possible by examining Gadamer’s conception of language and the elements of anthropocentrism within his hermeneutic philosophy. A conception of a tradition that extends beyond culture is suggested, which would help to expand the scope of Gadamer´s hermeneutics to be truly universal. Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s conception of “flesh” is explored as type of medium that moves beyond the distinction of subject and object, factual and Idea, breaking down traditional philosophical distinctions and moving towards a radical ontology, one in which humans and nature are deeply intertwined. Merleau-Ponty’s reciprocal relation to nature is examined alongside Gadamer’s conception of the festival and theatre, and a conception of a productive unconscious is suggested, providing further scope for a hermeneutic “conversation with nature”. It is suggested that Gadamer’s conception of language has many similarities to Merleau-Ponty’s conception of flesh and it is argued that the core of Gadamer’s hermeneutic theory can integrate a reciprocal relation to nature such as Merleau-Ponty’s once the anthropocentrism is removed, a task made easier by the implications of the Neoplatonic theory of emanation underlying Gadamer’s conception of language and other aspects of his hermeneutics.