Abstract

Types of Interpretation in the Aesthetic Disciplines begins from the observation that interpretation, even the special kind represented by interpretation of the arts, is not a homogeneous activity. The many different types of such interpretation vary with respect to objectives and criteria of adequacy and attempts to explain art interpretation in terms of a single, unified logic are therefore bound to fail. Five Swedish scholars and theorists from different disciplines - literary studies, philosophy, and art history - discuss the multiplicity of principles of interpretation and provide a descriptive analysis of the concept of interpretation itself that clarifies the main features of the rationale underlying the interpretation of literature and the arts. Their discussion provides a much-needed bridge between analytical aesthetics and theoretical discussion within the individual aesthetic disciplines. The introduction and concluding remarks by the editors provide both a frame for discussion of the issues and a historical perspective on the debates about interpretation.