Hermeneutic issues in the context of K.-O. Apel’s transcendental pragmatics

Abstract

The study analyzed the basic principles of K.-O. Apel’s transcendental pragmatics. We also determined the place of hermeneutic elements in the composition of Apel’s theory. The study showed that K.-O. Apel interprets the transcendental sphere of a person without straight connection wіth a philosophy of consciousness, and that he doesn’t support the “biologizing” view of cognitive problems. Apel’s approach is to determine a priori conditions and available forms of language communication. We also found that K.-O. Apel actively borrows and develops ideas of American pragmatism. As a result, he forms a model of the so-called “communicative community”. Our analysis demonstrated that, according to K.-O. Apel, the transcendental “schematics” of the subject is determined by his communicative competences. On this basis, K.-O. Apel develops the principles of discursive ethics. The study showed that an important element of Apel’s theory is a thesis about two “incarnations” of the communicative community, that is, its real and ideal forms. We determined that the ideal community, in the understanding of K.O. Apel, is such a community, any member of which always has the opportunity to unambiguously understand the meaning of each language expression and determine its correctness during communication. Accordingly, K.-O. Apel considers that a priori condition for any communication is “anticipation” by a person of this ideal communicative community in a real communicative process. Consequently, the oncoming of the real society to its ideal communicative form is the main ethical purpose for all of humanity. The study has revealed that the hermeneutic component in the communicative act, according to K.-O. Apel, is present on two levels. On the one hand, this is an interpretation of the addressee’s “communicative position” during formulation of a proposition, that is, it means taking into account the communicative competencies of the interlocutor. On the other hand, this is a certain interpretation process inherent in the procedure of perception of the “message” from another communication participant. According to K.-O. Apel, the place for such an initial interpretation is provided by the language game of communication, which always requires from its subjects an active and creative appeal to the context in which the verbal connection takes place. Thus, we determined that Apel’s transcendental pragmatics mediates a wide range of relevant philosophical issues. Consequently, hermeneutics in this context is associated with the theory of speech acts, philosophy of consciousness, analytical philosophy and ethics. Suchwise, it allows hermeneutics to remain its relevance in our time.