Ethics and interpretation

This dissertation develops the thesis that the formulation, development, and application of hermeneutical principles or procedures are influenced by the way in which an interpreter choses to perceive--implicitly or explicitly--the ethical relationships that obtain among author, interpreter, and audience. The dissertation argues that interpreters choose their ethical stances actively or passively, and regard the influence of ethics on interpretation as either positive or negative. Those who seek actively an ethical standard, motivation, and justification and actively relate these ethical elements to the principles used to arrive at an interpretation consider the influence positive. Those who argue that an ethical standard, motivation, or justification should be removed or prevented from interfering with the hermeneutical process regard the possibility of such influence as a negative. This thesis examines four significant individuals in the history of language use and interpretation who exemplify a wide range of attitudes toward the ethical standards of interpretation. The Apostle Paul argues for active ethical choices and the responsibility of an author; Augustine argues for submissive ethical choices and the responsibility of the interpreter; Ludwig Wittgenstein argues for the interpreter\u27s resisting ethical choices out of concern for himself or herself; and Jacques Derrida argues for refusing ethical choices and the issue of alternatives. The concluding chapter examines various hermeneutical consequences of each of these four avenues of choice. The purpose of this dissertation is to alert the reader to the fact that hermeneutics and literary interpretation are not ethically neutral. No attempt is made to examine all possible combinations and permutations of this ethical influence. Nevertheless, the dissertation demonstrates by means of Paul, Augustine, Wittgenstein, and Derrida, that ethics-positively or negatively--is a fundamental factor in the formulation, development, and application of hermeneutical principles and procedures