Hermeneutic Commentaries

ISSN: 1043-5735

"The question of “interpretation” of the text is at the center of this collection of monographs and commentaries on classical literatures. Interpretation starts with the realisation that at the outset, the sense of a text is an hypothesis to be gradually and constantly revised and ascertained. Grammar, syntax, and rhetoric are certainly the necessary part for this critical operation, but they fall short of giving full sense to the signification of the text. A philological commentary establishes the texts as close as possible to the author’s text, and provides the information necessary for modern readers to understand what the text meant to its contemporary users. But besides the impossibility of achieving this task fully, this sort of information does not provide the sense of the text as it opens itself to the questions of its individuality and universality, its historicity and its transhistorical iterability, as it hides the rules and game of its composition, its difference in order to show its identity. These opposite poles are constantly united and create a tension, a continuous oscillation that are the very domaine of the interpretative analysis, and the conditions of the text’s ever emerging sense . The hermeneutic circle, through which the critical hypothesis is constantly revised and made more precise, can be viewed also as a sort of deconstructive operation, a decomposing of the text in order to recompose it around its now discovered rules and games, of which the author is not necessarily always fully aware. Because of these conditions the sense of a text is more open to the critics than to its author; this point makes the critics conscious that as they are “reading”, they are in some way “writing” the text." "The question of “interpretation” of the text is at the center of this collection of monographs and commentaries on classical literatures. Interpretation starts with the realisation that at the outset, the sense of a text is an hypothesis to be gradually and constantly revised and ascertained. Grammar, syntax, and rhetoric are certainly the necessary part for this critical operation, but they fall short of giving full sense to the signification of the text. A philological commentary establishes the texts as close as possible to the author’s text, and provides the information necessary for modern readers to understand what the text meant to its contemporary users. But besides the impossibility of achieving this task fully, this sort of information does not provide the sense of the text as it opens itself to the questions of its individuality and universality, its historicity and its transhistorical iterability, as it hides the rules and game of its composition, its difference in order to show its identity. These opposite poles are constantly united and create a tension, a continuous oscillation that are the very domaine of the interpretative analysis, and the conditions of the text’s ever emerging sense . The hermeneutic circle, through which the critical hypothesis is constantly revised and made more precise, can be viewed also as a sort of deconstructive operation, a decomposing of the text in order to recompose it around its now discovered rules and games, of which the author is not necessarily always fully aware. Because of these conditions the sense of a text is more open to the critics than to its author; this point makes the critics conscious that as they are “reading”, they are in some way “writing” the text." "The question of “interpretation” of the text is at the center of this collection of monographs and commentaries on classical literatures. Interpretation starts with the realisation that at the outset, the sense of a text is an hypothesis to be gradually and constantly revised and ascertained. Grammar, syntax, and rhetoric are certainly the necessary part for this critical operation, but they fall short of giving full sense to the signification of the text. A philological commentary establishes the texts as close as possible to the author’s text, and provides the information necessary for modern readers to understand what the text meant to its contemporary users. But besides the impossibility of achieving this task fully, this sort of information does not provide the sense of the text as it opens itself to the questions of its individuality and universality, its historicity and its transhistorical iterability, as it hides the rules and game of its composition, its difference in order to show its identity. These opposite poles are constantly united and create a tension, a continuous oscillation that are the very domaine of the interpretative analysis, and the conditions of the text’s ever emerging sense . The hermeneutic circle, through which the critical hypothesis is constantly revised and made more precise, can be viewed also as a sort of deconstructive operation, a decomposing of the text in order to recompose it around its now discovered rules and games, of which the author is not necessarily always fully aware. Because of these conditions the sense of a text is more open to the critics than to its author; this point makes the critics conscious that as they are “reading”, they are in some way “writing” the text."

1 publications

Human Right Studies

ISSN: 2294-8848

The legal and political significance of human rights has increased enormously at the international and European levels. It has become increasingly clear that the respect and promotion of human rights must be at the centre of States and local communities' public policies and that human rights are the basis of civil society initiatives and movements. There is a large mechanism, at all levels of governance, monitoring the way in which States implement the obligations they have assumed towards each person under their sovereignty. The Italian Yearbook of Human Rights Series provides year by year, a dynamic and up-to date overview of the measures Italy has taken to adapt its legislation and policies in line with international human rights law and to comply with the commitments voluntarily assumed by the Italian Government at the international level. The book series thus intends to contribute to the continuous monitoring activity of the human rights situation in Italy undertaken at the local, national and international levels by the relevant intergovernmental and civil society actors. Each volume of this series surveys the activities carried out, during the year of reference, by the relevant national and local Italian actors, including governmental bodies, civil society organisations and universities. It also presents reports and recommendations that have been addressed to Italy by international monitoring bodies within the framework of the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the European Union. Finally, each Yearbook provides a selection of examples from international and national case law that cast light on Italy’s position vis-à-vis internationally recognised human rights. The Yearbook is edited by the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua, in cooperation with the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights, Democracy and Peace of the same university, and with the support of the Region of Veneto. The Centre, established in 1982, carries out research and education following a global and interdisciplinary approach. It hosts the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on intercultural dialogue, human rights and multi-level governance.

11 publications

Human Right Studies

Among the broad structural transformation processes at the global level, the international legal recognition of human rights occupies an exceptionally prominent position. The dimensions of this process include standard setting, the functioning of sophisticated machineries for the promotion and protection of human rights, the development of a specific international case-law as well as new priorities of the political agenda. The human rights paradigm is at the heart of a new set of interrelated principles, which are equally valid at both the domestic and the international levels – such as the rule of law, democratic principles and the responsibility to protect – and of great strategic visions, as human development and human security. New functions, such as human rights monitoring, election observation, fact-finding and inquiry have already been admitted to international practice. This series intends to foster the publication of volumes that investigate the multiple facets of a strongly evolving reality, and stimulate the production of new and innovative ideas. It offers to highlight how the human rights paradigm is at times used and at times disregarded or exploited in cases and situations that regard among others those belonging to vulnerable groups (immigrants, asylum seekers, persons with disabilities), NGOs and human rights defenders’ advocacy, intercultural dialogue, governance of world economy, bio-technologies and peace operations. Those studies which adopt inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches, in accordance with the fundamental principle of interdependence and indivisibility of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, will be favored. Among the broad structural transformation processes at the global level, the international legal recognition of human rights occupies an exceptionally prominent position. The dimensions of this process include standard setting, the functioning of sophisticated machineries for the promotion and protection of human rights, the development of a specific international case-law as well as new priorities of the political agenda. The human rights paradigm is at the heart of a new set of interrelated principles, which are equally valid at both the domestic and the international levels – such as the rule of law, democratic principles and the responsibility to protect – and of great strategic visions, as human development and human security. New functions, such as human rights monitoring, election observation, fact-finding and inquiry have already been admitted to international practice. This series intends to foster the publication of volumes that investigate the multiple facets of a strongly evolving reality, and stimulate the production of new and innovative ideas. It offers to highlight how the human rights paradigm is at times used and at times disregarded or exploited in cases and situations that regard among others those belonging to vulnerable groups (immigrants, asylum seekers, persons with disabilities), NGOs and human rights defenders’ advocacy, intercultural dialogue, governance of world economy, bio-technologies and peace operations. Those studies which adopt inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches, in accordance with the fundamental principle of interdependence and indivisibility of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, will be favored. Among the broad structural transformation processes at the global level, the international legal recognition of human rights occupies an exceptionally prominent position. The dimensions of this process include standard setting, the functioning of sophisticated machineries for the promotion and protection of human rights, the development of a specific international case-law as well as new priorities of the political agenda. The human rights paradigm is at the heart of a new set of interrelated principles, which are equally valid at both the domestic and the international levels – such as the rule of law, democratic principles and the responsibility to protect – and of great strategic visions, as human development and human security. New functions, such as human rights monitoring, election observation, fact-finding and inquiry have already been admitted to international practice. This series intends to foster the publication of volumes that investigate the multiple facets of a strongly evolving reality, and stimulate the production of new and innovative ideas. It offers to highlight how the human rights paradigm is at times used and at times disregarded or exploited in cases and situations that regard among others those belonging to vulnerable groups (immigrants, asylum seekers, persons with disabilities), NGOs and human rights defenders’ advocacy, intercultural dialogue, governance of world economy, bio-technologies and peace operations. Those studies which adopt inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches, in accordance with the fundamental principle of interdependence and indivisibility of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, will be favored.

4 publications