Comparative Study of the Hermeneutics of Mulla Sadra and Gadamer

Philosophical hermeneutics which means ontology of understanding delves into the ontological foundations of understanding and its existential conditions from philosophical perspective. Gadamer as a representative of this school of thought developed hermeneutics from the realm of methodology into ontology. The present study entitled “A Comparative Study of the Hermeneutics of Mulla Sadra and Gadamer” revealed that many hermeneutic features of Gadamer such as essence of understanding, ontology of text and interpreter, multiplicity of understandings, and the commentator’s presumptions are evident in the perception of Mulla Sadra from the Holy Quran. However, their hermeneutics are basically different in each of the above points. More importantly, Mulla Sadra believes that the Quran is determined by God so he does not believe in relativism which is the outcome of Gadamer’s hermeneutics. In fact, Mulla Sadra believes in the cautious integration of meaning horizon between the commentator and the text in accordance with the author’s will, so he regards accurate understanding of the texts achievable relying on the key role of the commentator on the one hand, and the author’s knowledge on the other hand.