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Dear Antonio,
I think I remember that thread; I probably posted to it. There is a principle discussed in philosophy (epistemology) called the "hermeneutic circle", which goes back to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger, Gadamer). Some more or less random Googling: http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/hopkins_guide_to_literary_theory/hermeneutics-_1.html http://www.capurro.de/ny86.htm I don't recall the specific point that this paradox (needing to know something in order to learn it) is dealt with in practice by the making of assumptions and acceptance of basic principles on "say-so" until they are understood: maybe that was our contribution and not part of the classic literature (though it's hard to imagine it doesn't touch on this aspect). I hope that helps, Wendell At 09:12 AM 10/21/2005, you wrote: I'm sorry for the OT, but i've spend two days searching the list archives and my personal mail archive and couldn't find what i'm looking for. ====================================================================== Wendell Piez mailto:wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mulberry Technologies, Inc. http://www.mulberrytech.com 17 West Jefferson Street Direct Phone: 301/315-9635 Suite 207 Phone: 301/315-9631 Rockville, MD 20850 Fax: 301/315-8285 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mulberry Technologies: A Consultancy Specializing in SGML and XML ======================================================================
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