For a Negative Hermeneutics: Adorno, Gadamer and Critical Consciousness

The present social-historical moment is marked by a sharp divide, harrowing ‘communication breakdown’ between subject and object, humanity nature, itself. This state of affairs pleads for the (re-)elaboration consciousness that resonates critically with social, political cultural realities its time. paper studies lessons can be drawn in this regard from intersection between, on one hand, Theodor W. Adorno’s ‘philosophical interpretation’ his idea an historically adequate consciousness, and, other, Hans-Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutics’ conception effected consciousness. opens concise reconstruction as critical response to instrumental rationality borrows insights radical historicism. focus then shifts which read similar type protest against reason privileges dialogical forms enculturation. Finally, closes some suggestive yet inconclusive reflections important elements convergence/divergence two thinkers, notably, their theorisations immanent transcended critique, role they ascribe tradition language vis- à-vis experience, special place ‘mimesis’ it. Overall, argument made ‘negative may what needed fashion new interpretations world, foster alternative ways thinking about being it, which, pace Marx, go hand transformation – or, perhaps more aptly nowadays, mere feat sparing