Assignment 3 2026
Unique number:
Due Date: 2026
Detailed solutions, explanations, workings
and references.
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, QUESTION 1
1.1
(a) Hermeneutics and Truth
Hermeneutics understands truth not as something fixed, absolute, or discovered in
the same way as scientific facts, but as something that emerges through
interpretation and understanding. From a hermeneutic perspective, truth is always
connected to human experience, language, culture, and historical context. This
means that what we understand as true is shaped by who we are, where we come
from, and how we make meaning of the world around us (Higgs & Letseka, 2022).
Unlike scientific rationalism, which focuses on objective facts and measurable
evidence, hermeneutics argues that scientific truth alone is not enough to give life
meaning. Human beings also need shared meanings, values, traditions, and a sense
of belonging within a community. Hermeneutics therefore values truth that arises
from dialogue, interpretation, and social interaction rather than from experimentation
alone (Higgs & Letseka, 2022).
A key idea in hermeneutics is that understanding is never neutral. We always
approach situations with prior assumptions, beliefs, and experiences. These
influence how we interpret texts, events, and even other people. Rather than trying
to eliminate these influences, hermeneutics encourages us to become aware of them
and to remain open to new interpretations. Truth, in this sense, is not final or
complete, but always open to revision through deeper understanding (Higgs &
Letseka, 2022).
Philosophers such as Gadamer emphasised that truth can be revealed through art,
language, and shared traditions, not only through science. Truth emerges when
individuals engage honestly with others within a community and seek meaning
together. Hermeneutics therefore promotes openness, dialogue, and respect for
multiple perspectives. In this way, truth is seen as meaningful understanding rather
than absolute certainty, and as something that grows through interpretation rather
than domination or imposed authority (Higgs & Letseka, 2022).
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