Grieving as Limit Situation of Memory: Gadamer, Beamer, and Moules on the Infinite Task Posed by the Dead

Authors

  • Theodore George Texas A&M University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11575/jah.v0i0.53324

Keywords:

Gadamer, philosophical hermeneutics, grief, memory

Abstract

In this paper, the author turns to Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics to examine the experience of grieving. Specifically, the author argues that grieving may be grasped as a limit situation of memory. This approach suggests that grieving cannot be adequately captured by a stage model theory but, instead, poses an infinite task that is fraught with difficulty and ethical demands. The author develops this approach in reference not only to Hans-Georg Gadamer but recent research by Nancy Moules and Kate Beamer. 

References

Beamer, K. (2017). And Coyote howled: Listening to the call of interpretive inquiry. Journal of Applied Hermeneutics. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10515/sy5n010b1

Derrida, J. (2005). Rams: Uninterrupted dialogue – between two infinities, the poem. Sovereignties in question. New York, NY: Fordham University Press.

Gadamer, H-G. (2003). Truth and method (2nd rev.ed; J. Weinsheimer & D. G. Marshall, Trans.). New York, NY: Continuum.

Gadamer, H-G. (2007). Word and image: ‘So true, so full of being. In H-G. Gadamer, The Gadamer reader: A bouquet of later writings (Richard Palmer, Ed.). Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press.

Grondin, J. (2003). Hans-Georg Gadamer: A biography (J. Weinsheimer, Trans.). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Jaspers, K. (1969) Philosophy, (Vol. 2, E.B. Ashton, Trans.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Moules, N.J., Simonson, K., Prins, M., Angus, P. & Bell, J.M. (2004). Making room for grief: Walking backwards and living forward. Nursing Inquiry, 11(2) 99–107.

Moules, N.J., McCaffrey, G., Field, J.C., & Laing, C.M. (2015). Conducting hermeneutic research: From philosophy to practice. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Moules, N.J. (2017). Grief and hermeneutics: Archives of lives and the conflicted character of grief. Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, Editorial 1. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10515/sy5h708h8

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Published

2017-12-31

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Articles