Hans-Georg Gadamer, 102; Philosopher Worked With Texts
Hans-Georg Gadamer, 102, a leading German philosopher, died of undisclosed causes March 13 in Heidelberg, Germany.
Gadamer was one of the best-known practitioners of philosophical hermeneutics, the systematic interpretation of texts. His major work on the subject “Truth and Method” was published in 1960.
Born in Marburg, Germany, Gadamer received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Marburg in 1922. He taught there and at universities in Leipzig, Frankfurt and at Heidelberg University, where he retired in 1968. After retiring, he served as a visiting professor at major universities in the United States, including Catholic University.
Alert until the end, Gadamer told a reporter the week of his 102nd birthday in February, “Man cannot live without hope--this is the only statement that I would like to continue defending without reservation.”
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