The paper aims to complete the epistemological opposition of genesis and validity by discussing two types of their interconnection. On the one hand, it deals with genealogical arguments in the context of practical reasoning. This applies for positive justification (e.g. by tradition) as well as for negative delegitimisation (for instance Nietzsche's genealogical critique of morality). On the other hand, it is about the hermeneutic explication of signification. Historical reflection offers ways to understand the meaning of an institution, the (perhaps hidden) (...) signification of a thesis or a tradition. An informative paradigm thereof is the self-understanding of philosophy concerning its own issues and definition. (shrink)

The 'readability of the world', according to Blumenberg, means an ideal of understanding. However, the question is whether our knowledge of the world should be described as an act of reading or, more generally, in terms of language. Many theorists argue that the 'model of the text' is not an adequate paradigm for describing culture and human understanding. Language has a central function in human life, but there are many non-linguistic ways of expression and of communication. The paper deals with (...) the various motives, which underlie the generalization of the reading metaphor in cultural sciences. (shrink)

Name der Zeitschrift: Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie Jahrgang: 64 Heft: 1 Seiten: 132-139.