Praxis and understanding: Gadamer on subjectivity and self-understanding

This research aims at studying the hermeneutic philosophy of H-G Gadamer. The major focus will be put on showing how Gadamer understands the problem of subjectivity and self-understanding.; We may all know that subjectivity is the major feature of modern western philosophy. No modern thinker can avoid discussing, sooner or later, the topic of subjectivity. Subjectivity presents an urgent problem that would require an immediate answer from any philosopher in the real sense.; Since the work of Descartes, subjectivity has been largely understood as cogito, i.e. an active and reflexive thinking thing among all the objects in the world. However, we would like to ask, Is Descartes' cogito the only way to understand the subject? Does Cartesian cogito successfully and completely respond to the ancient but vital philosophical question 'Know Thyself'? Does cogito fully attest to the 'original' experience of self-knowing? Does cogito leave no room for the Other?; As a contemporary philosopher, Gadamer is, from the earlier on, bearing this issue on his mind. Though it is seemingly no direct evidence could be found among his major works, a careful reconstruction of some of his ideas and conception will throw some light on the problem. So, this study tries to discover any possible traces concerning this issue from the works of Gadamer so as to suggest a reasonable solution from his point of view.; On the other hand, Gadamer have always been understood as a faithful disciple of Heidegger. In fact, Gadamer may not deny Heidegger's overwhelming influence on his development of hermeneutic thinking. However, we will show that Gadamer has acquired his own way in formulating his system, and at the same time has made an effort to detach from the great effect of his master. Of course, the result of searching his own path has not achieved within a few days, it requires Gadamer almost a life long effort.; We will soon see that Gadamers' analyses on the conceptions of phronesis, festival time, time in the course of life, historical temporal distance, etc. All of such conceptions have fully reflected how Gadamer searches for his independent way of thinking from Heidegger's understanding, and all in turn contribute to establish the idea of hermeneutic philosophy.; Finally, we will put Gadamer's way of thinking under the perspective of phenomenology, and assess his hermeneutic method within the whole of the phenomenological tradition. As Gadamer clearly points out in the preface of Truth and Method, "It is true that my book is phenomenological in its method." Taking this assertion for our starting point, this study is going to demonstrate not only in Truth and Method, but the entire Gadamer's methodology as a whole could in fact be termed under the label of 'phenomenological'.