Pożytek z Platona dla współczesnej kultury? Platońskie podstawy hermeneutyki Hansa-Georga Gadamera

In the fi rst part of the paper, the author copes with the problem of Plato’s infl uence on the Hans-Georg Gadamer’s project of philosophical hermeneutics. It appears that Plato was both an obstacle and an inspiration for the German philosopher. Th e former is to be observed in his interpretation of Plato’s Cratylus. Gadamer takes pains to avoid its conclusion that one can study the reality without the mediation of language. But, on the other hand, Plato’s Cratylus seems to contradict his own practice of thinking through language – says Gadamer. Clearly, one may discern it easily in his choice of dialogue as a means to express his ideas, and in emphasizing the priority of questions while struggling to overcome the sophistic answering culture. Th is practice was an endless and obvious inspiration for Gadamer’s hermeneutics. In the second section, the author shares his conviction that Gadamer rightly approached the problems of the modern culture by translating the achievements of Plato’s dialogic practice into our reality. Th e dialogue is seen as paradigmatic for every human experience, because it is exemplary for any act of understanding. Gadamer shows how to fi nd a way through the  current skepticism and pluralism. Th e truth, though it may be elusive, is yet to be pursued dia logon. We cannot forget about the need to ask questions because only thus we can stay open to  understanding. Our task is to continue the dialogue with tradition and we ought not to limit ourselves to the narrow scientifi c rationality or else we will cease to understand others, even in ourselves.