Reason in the Age of Science

The essays in this book deal broadly with the question of what form reasoning about life and society can take in a culture permeated by scientific and technical modes of thought. They attempt to identify certain very basic types of questions that seem to escape scientific resolution and call for in Gadamer's view philosophical reflection of a hermeneutic sort. In effect Gadamer argues for the continued practical relevance of Socratic-Platonic modes of thought in respect to contemporary issues. As part of this argument he advances his own views on the interplay of science technology and social policy.These essays which are not available in any existing translation or collection of Gadamer's work are remarkably up-to-date with respect to the present state of his thinking and they address issues that are particularly critical to social theory and philosophy. Perhaps more than anyone else Hans-Georg Gadamer who is Professor Emeritus at the University of Heidelberg and Distinguished Visiting Professor at Boston College is the doyen of German Philosophy. His previously translated works have been widely and enthusiastically received in this country. He is recognized as the chief theorist of hermeneutics a strong and growing movement here in a number of disciplines from theology and literary criticism to philosophy and social theory. A book in the series Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought.