Praise of Theory Speeches and Essays – PDF/EPUB Version Downloadable

Renowned for his work in philosophical hermeneutics and his writings on Heidegger and Hegel, German philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer in this collection brings into sharp focus his thoughts on the power of language, the social role and influence of science, and the idea of reason. Translator Chris Dawson provides an insightful introduction that places the essays in the context of Gadamer’s other writings and discusses their significance for current scholarship in philosophy, literature, history, and science.

These accessible essays, now available together in English translation for the first time, offer a new perspective on the debate about science and technology. Gadamer argues that the theoretical pursuit of truth is valuable for its own sake, and that it is devalued when pursued explicitly for practical purposes. We can only discover what is truly of use to us, suggests Gadamer, by stumbling across it in the course of pursuing pure theory. His original conclusions have important implications for the philosophy of science and more widely for the methodology of thinking in all quests for truth and understanding.