Abstract
Both Kierkegaard’s existential thought and Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics found an inexhaustible source of inspiration in the practical ethics of the philosophers of Greek antiquity. In this essay, I focus on Gadamer’s interpretation of Aristotle’s ethics, particularly his notion of practical knowledge (phronesis). I intend to demonstrate first and foremost that there is a striking parallel to be discerned between Gadamer’s reading of Aristotle, which clearly takes an existential-hermeneutic perspective, and some of the central premises underlying Kierkegaard’s thought. Second, I will argue that the characterization of Kierkegaard’s thought as existential-hermeneutical most adequately captures its specificities and lasting relevance.
