A proposed framework that treats interpretation as a rigorous, systematic, and critical discipline—on
par with the natural sciences but with different methods and goals. Hermeneutical
science does not seek prediction or control but understanding: the grasp of meaning, intention, context, and significance. It develops explicit methodologies (e.g., the hermeneutic circle, fusion of horizons,
thick description) and standards of validity (e.g., coherence, comprehensiveness, reflexivity). It argues that understanding human phenomena is no less demanding than explaining physical ones, and that the
study of meaning deserves the same institutional support and intellectual respect as the
study of matter.
Example: “His defense of hermeneutical
science argued that understanding a historical event is not ‘softer’ than explaining a chemical reaction—it simply requires different rigor, attuned to meaning rather than measurement.”
Hermeneutical Sciences
The plural form, encompassing the various disciplines that apply hermeneutic methods to their domains: literary hermeneutics,
legal hermeneutics, medical hermeneutics (interpreting symptoms and patient narratives), architectural hermeneutics (interpreting built spaces), etc. The hermeneutical sciences share a family resemblance: they all prioritize interpretation, context, and meaning over measurement, and they all recognize that their objects of
study are not
brute facts but meaningful phenomena. The term acknowledges that there is not one Hermeneutical
Science but many, each adapting interpretive methods to its specific subject matter—while remaining united by the conviction that understanding requires interpretation, not just explanation.
Example: “The conference brought together practitioners of the hermeneutical sciences—
legal scholars interpreting precedents, physicians interpreting patient stories, architects interpreting lived space—all showing how interpretation is a rigorous, learnable craft across fields.”
