Ricoeur's theory of interpretation: An instrument for data interpretation in hermeneutic phenomenology
Tan, Heather Margaret Wilson, Anne Olver, Ian
Tan, Heather Margaret
Wilson, Anne
Olver, Ian
Abstract
Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenology, although providing an appropriate philosophical foundation for research in the social sciences that seeks to investigate the meaning of lived experience, does not provide clarity of process, making it difficult to assign the degree of rigor to the work demanded in an era dominated by the positivist paradigm. Ricoeur (1981) further developed both Heidegger's and Gadamer's ideas, in the areas of method and interpretation of hermeneutic phenomenological research, in a direction that has addressed this difficulty. In this article the authors outline Ricoeur's theory, including three levels of data analysis, describe its application to the interpretation of data, and discuss two apparent contradictions in his theory. Ricoeur's theory of interpretation, as a tool for the interpretation of data in studies whose philosophical underpinning is hermeneutic phenomenology, deserves consideration by human sciences researchers who seek to provide a rigorous foundation for their work.
Keywords
palliative care, phenomenology, qualitative research methodology
Date
2009
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal of Qualitative Methods
Book
Volume
8
Issue
4
Page Range
1-15
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts