Hermeneutics and Principles of Jurisprudence: A Glance at Types of Intentionalism in the West and its Comparison with Exegetical Viewpoints of Shī a Legal Theorists

The famous theory concerning the meaning and interpretation of text is called "intentionalism" which says: “The meaning or interpretation of a work is related to the intention of the creator of the work or is delimited and determined by it.” In this article, first, the most important intentions are examined, including: 1. Psychological intention and phenomenological intention; 2. Semantic intention, categorical intention, motivational intention; 3. Real intention and hypothetical intention; 4. Inner intention and outer intention. Then, different types of intentionalism are distinguished from each other and explained. Intentionalism can be divided into: 1. Semantic intentionalism and exegetical intentionalism; 2. Real intentionalism and hypothetical intentionalism (real intentionalism includes any of A. extremist or B. moderate; and hypothetical intentionalism includes any of A. main or B. epochal); 3. Exclusive intentionalism and inclusive intentionalism. In light of these distinctions, the commonalities and differences of Western intentionalism and Shī‘ī intentionalism are clarified.