A. Introduction
Hermeneutics , use Gadamer’s definition,
means the practical art involved in such things as preaching, interpreting
other language, explaining and explicating texts, and as the basis of all of
these, the art of understanding, an art particularly required any time the meaning of something is not clear and
unambiguous.
A text that produced by author in the
specific time of course was influented by its every thing at that time. When it
bought to other time, it has any problem, how can we understanding it whereas
we can’t meet with its author?
As contemporary scholar on hermeneutics study,
he categorized as one of objectivist-cum-subjectivist discipline. This paper
would be presenting about what his hermeneutics? And why he categorized as objectivist-cum-subjectivist discipline. And the last we try to explore
about significant Gracia’s theory with al-Qur’an’s study and interpretation.
B. Biography of
Jorge J.E. Gracia[1]
Jorge J.E. Gracia was
born 1942 in Cuba. Now he works in the State University of New York (SUNY) at
Buffalo as professor in the Department of Philosophy and Department
of Comparative Literature.
Gracia was educated in
Cuba, Canada and the United States. He studied
in Bachiller en Ciencias and Bachiller en Letras, with highest honors, St.
Thomas Military Academy, La Habana, 1960. Then he get B.A. in Philosophy, with
honors, Wheaton College, 1965, M.A. in Philosophy, University of Chicago,
1966 M.S.L. in Philosophy, magna cum
laude, Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1970 Ph.D. in Medieval Philosophy, University of
Toronto, 1971.
Father: Dr.
Ignacio J. L. de la C. Gracia Dubié
Mother: Leonila M. Otero Muñoz
Married to Norma E. Silva Casabé in 1966
Daughters: Leticia Isabel and Clarisa Raquel
Grandchildren: James M. Griffin, Clarisa E. Griffin, Sofia G.
Taberski, and Eva L. Taberski
Office Addresses:
Department of Philosophy, University at Buffalo
123 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-4150
Phone: (716) 645-2444; FAX (716) 645-6139
Department of Comparative Literature, University at Buffalo
631 Clemens Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-4610
Phone: (716) 645-2066; FAX (716) 645-5979
Home Address:
420 Berryman Dr.
Amherst, NY
14226
Phone:
(716) 835-5747
His book on hermeneutics study:
a. Texts: Ontological Status, Identity, Author, Audience. Albany,
NY: State University of New York Press, 1996, 225 pp.
b. A Theory of Textuality: The Logic and Epistemology. Albany, NY:
State University of New York Press, 1995, 327 pp.
c. Ed., with William Irwin, Philosophy and the Interpretation of
Popular Culture. In preparation
d. Ed., Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy: The Cross, the
Questions, the Controversy. La Salle, IL: Open Court, 2004.
e. Ed., with Jiyuan Yu, Uses and Abuses of the Classics:
Interpretation in Philosophy. London: Ashgate, 2004.
f.
Ed., with Carolyn Korsmeyer and
Rodolphe Gasché. Literary Philosophers: Borges, Calvino, Eco. New York:
Routledge, 2002, 241 pp.
C.
The Development
of Textual Interpretation[2]
Text was historical data, it produced by
author who life with specific tradition, culture, science. When this text
brought to other space and other time it will be problem. Contemporary
interpreter very close to get meaning of
the text which produced by author at stated period. Because of text was part of
past, so to go an errand of text only entity of text it self which can be held
by interpreter. Gracia try to put up his theory as a bridge of discrepancy
between two situations: when text was produce by author and when text must be
interpreted in other situation.
The interpretation cannot get out of
three aspects:
1.
Text (interpretandum)
It
can be called “historical data”. A text have information around it which can
explain where, when, who, how, and why a text produce. Every text which appears
over stated period it can be interpreted.
2.
Interpreter
3.
Additional
information (interpretans)
Interpretans
is additional information around the text. In other hand it will be distorting interpretandum,
but misconception of meaning will be appearing if it ignored. Gracia called
it as “Interpreter’s Dilemma” which solved by “the Principle of Proportional
Understanding”: the quantity of understanding produces by contemporary audience
must be equal with the quantity of understanding created by author and
historical audience.
There
are three functions of interpretation
1.
Historical
function, to recreate understanding in the contemporary audience acts
understanding of author and historical audience.
2.
Meaning function,
create understanding in the contemporary audience acts where they can see and
evolve meaning of text, whether same to those produced by the author and
historical audience or not.
3.
Implicative
function, to emerge understanding in the contemporary audience acts until
understood the implication meaning of the text.
Based on its purpose, he divided the
interpretation became two kinds:
1.
Textual interpretation,
can be definite as act of interpretation with additional information (interpretans).
The result of this is one of interpretation’s function has explained before
(historical function, meaning function, or implicative function). This not only
talk about general meaning same as wording of text but also about create new
meaning of text, actually pay attention to contemporary audience, historical
audience and author.
2.
Non-textual
interpretation, purpose nothing else than produce beyond wording text meaning.
Here, the goal of interpretation is to produce understanding not only based on
the text with its meaning and implication of text it self but its relation with
other texts and aspect beyond. This able
take (for instance) psychological approach, legal interpretation, scientific
approach, etc to produce it. So, it possible to produce new meaning of text which
same as wording of text or not but related with text.
Truth
Value of Textual Interpretation
There are three kind of textual
interpretation result, historical function, meaning function, and implicative
meaning, so the question how about the truth value of interpretation on Gracia’s
view? When historical interpretation done successfully, is it called as truth?
And the other is false? Or vice versa?
In this case, the truth value may be
plural, and he argues that justification of truth/correct or false/incorrect on
result of interpretation is not relevant. But, it may be judge by term “more
effective” and “lack effective”.
Plurality
of Truth Value of Textual Interpretation
The meaning function and implication
meaning both related with personal or subjectivity (interpreter and contemporary
audience), actually will related with diverge of cultures. Both have opened
differences understanding each other. For instance, Aristoteles work has
interpreted by scholars with different background. Not only on science case but
also on philosophical study. About plurality of interpretation he argues that final
and definitive descriptions in science or philosophy cannot be reached.
Objectivity
and subjectivity of Interpretation
Because of interpretation built on interpretandum
and interpretans, so it contains objectivity and subjectivity aspect
at one time. So, how we measure when it called as highly objective or when it
called as highly subjective? It called highly objective when interpreter pay
high attention to interpretandum and historical aspect, and it called
highly subjective when he pay low attention interpretandum and
historical aspect.
D. Signification
Gracia’s Hermeneutic in Study and al-Qur’an’s Interpretations (Ulum
al-Tafsir)
1. Create
Tafsir’s definition that more sophisticated
In
classical interpretation books, etymologically word tafsir means kasyf
and bayan. In al-Zarkasyi’s definition that three activities in
al-Qur’an’s interpretation. There are: (1) understand (fahm), (2)
explain (bayan), (3) produce/take out (istikhraj). Whereas, this
aspects covered the importants things in interpretation. But, al-Zarkasyi
doesn’t explore the meaning from that aspects, like the difference between fahm,
bayan, and istikhraj.
Concerned
with term fahm (understand), Gracia gives a long definition. He said
“understand is not, however, the some as meaning. Understanding is a kind of a
mental act whereby one grasps something, which in the case of texts is their
meaning”. From that definition can be understood that “understand” is a mental
act that efforts for get the meaning of text. So, the understand has psychology
and personal character grounded on the exegesis before publish to public.
Whereas
term bayan (explain) is the next step of interpretation after fahm. The
interpreter after understands the meaning from text, so he must explain meaning
of text in written or speaking form with method give additional information and
analysis. The offer from Gracia about the form of bayan is with his
historical function and meaning function of interpretation. The last, term istikhraj
(take out). This concepts can be elaborated with Gracia’s theory about
implicative function of interpretation.
2. Strengthen
Ethic in Interpretation
The
true ethic of interpretation is free from truth claim or we shouldn’t claim
that our interpretation is the most true, and other is false. Mutual respect
inter-Islamic school appear from classic Muslim scholar’s era. The Gracia’s
theory about plurality of interpretations, diversity of interpretation
function, and truth value can be strengthen ethic in interpretation of
al-Qur’an.
E. Conclution
Gracia
is contemporary western scholars who expert in philosophical and historical
study. To solve any problem of interpretation, he presents a method: The
Development of Textual Interpretation. There, he tries to combine
subjective and objective case proportionately. It shown that his hermeneutics
discipline as subjective-cum-objective.
All this time moslem scholars agree
that the meaning of tafsir was explanation (bayan), but on Gracia’s view
that tafsir covered three aspect: fahm, bayan, and istikhraj. The
Gracia’s theory about plurality of interpretations, diversity of interpretation
function, and truth value can strengthen ethic in interpretation of al-Qur’an.
This paper hasn’t perfect yet. So, we
hope critics and suggestion from lecture, actually, and friends for be better
next time.
[2] All of data on this paper took out
from Hermeneutika dan Pengembangan Ulumul Qur’an written by Dr. Phil. Sahiron
Syamsuddin, M. A.
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