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How do we close the hermeneutic circle?
A Gadamerian approach to justification in interpretation in qualitative studies
Author(s) -
Debesay Jonas,
Nåden Dagfinn,
Slettebø Åshild
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
nursing inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.66
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1800
pISSN - 1320-7881
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1800.2008.00390.x
Subject(s) - interpretation (philosophy) , epistemology , hermeneutics , qualitative research , hermeneutic phenomenology , presentation (obstetrics) , sociology , psychology , philosophy , medicine , psychoanalysis , lived experience , social science , linguistics , radiology
In this article, an attempt is made to analyse important implications of the hermeneutic approach in qualitative studies. The article discusses the hermeneutic circle with regard to reasoning contexts, on which the researcher's interpretation is based. Problems in connection with achievement of ‘proper’ understanding in an interpretative process are discussed in light of Gadamer's hermeneutic philosophy. Some features of qualitative studies are addressed. This is concerned with arguments in the presentation of findings in qualitative studies using the hermeneutic approach. The essence of the article is there are grounds for reasonable understanding, even though it cannot be absolute in the hermeneutic.