Diversity as a chance: gadamer and brexit

• Author: Daniela Sorea
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 109-114

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 10 (59) No. 1 - 2017

DIVERSITY AS A CHANCE:

GADAMER AND BREXIT

Daniela SOREA1

Abstract: Hans-Georg Gadamer believed that the use of a unique language

to disseminate knowledge related to human sciences would be inadequate

and impact research on at least four levels as follows: the formulation of

knowledge related judgments, the choice of the object of knowledge and of

the latter’s eligible target audience. Brexit could be the chance of increasing

the likelihood for enhancing the prestige of all European languages as

instruments serving knowledge, as well as for using diversity as a value

adding tool that underlies the unity of Europe.

Key words: Brexit, diversity, language, human sciences.

1. Introduction

The results of the 2016 Brexit referendum proved once again the difficulty of framing

human behavior via traditional theories, as well as the limits of the predictive dimension

of human sciences. In other words, they emphasized the differences that the

hermeneutical tradition outlines between these theories and natural sciences. This paper

aims at indicating another effect of Brexit on human sciences, aside from that of

clarifying the latter’s epistemological status, namely the chance of retrieving natural

languages as knowledge instruments. That chance was glimpsed about 30 years ago by

Hans-Georg Gadamer.

2. The Unifying Dimension of Diversity in Europe

In his 1989 work – The European Heritage - Gadamer makes a connection between the

spiritual destiny of the old continent and the creative potential of diversity. Such potential

is supported by evidence provided by the existing tensions among science, art, religion,

philosophy as distinct dimensions of human creativity. According to the aforementioned

author, these dimensions are so clearly delineated only in Europe. Their differentiation

that triggers the tensions among them is aligned to the cultural core that described the

European way of life. What is more, differentiation is an integral part of a Europe whose

origins go back to the Greek and Christian traditions that have been ever since valued.

The difference between the East and the West of the continent is a “fundamental internal

distinction” (1999, p.139). The division of the Roman Empire, that was also reflected in

the division of the Church between the Eastern Orthodox and the Western Catholics and

Protestants, followed afterwards by the ideological separation of Communism from

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, sorea.daniela@unitbv.ro