“This book presents a refreshing and courageous reading of Gadamer that portrays him as an heir of Plato’s optimism whose outlook can rekindle a new capacity of sublime wonder at Being. On the basis of this powerful spiritual, metaphysical and even prophetic reading, Gadamer is rightly celebrated as a thinker of hope who offers a positive philosophy of life and of the possibilities offered by modernity. This reading, informed by the author’s solid knowledge of religious and spiritual traditions, is as original as it is timely. In this age of Globalism, it can serve as an important antidote to the depressing and gloomy assessments of our modern condition that have become the new vulgate.”
— Jean Grondin, Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Montreal, Canada
This book uses the work of Hans-Georg Gadamer to paint a picture of a creative, communal and hopeful modernity once promised, but almost forgotten behind ‘end of history’ and ‘clash of civilizations’ predictions. As the foremost heir of Heidegger and father of modern hermeneutics, Gadamer's thought has primarily been associated with language and dialogue. But in this book we see him as a metaphysically robust philosopher advancing a fresh ontology, and an ethical vision. Through close reading of his essays on philosophy and beauty, health and nature, community and conflict, these chapters bring to light Gadamer’s distinctive redefinition of key concepts like being, truth, value, spirituality, and communal flourishing on a global scale. Engaging with relevant theorists such as Heidegger, Deleuze, Levinas, Derrida, Zizek, Taylor, and Sloterdijk, what emerges is a ‘Modern Sublime’ perspective through which Gadamer situates us positively within the world. His picture of reality as a dynamic, infinite whole that is constantly growing through us, aims to make us creatively empowered by our place in the ever-expanding universe, rather than fearfully overwhelmed by postmodernity's challenges.
