Abstract

The legacy of philosophical hermeneutics consists in the revival of Gadamer’s theme of our belonging to a tradition. Communication is based on a kind of fundamental agreement («tragendes Einverständnis») which precedes any explicit agreement and disagreement. This theme is taken up by Habermas with the thematization of a life-world(«Lebenswelt») articulated in a linguistic and communicative sense. It is characterized by a double structure: on the one hand it refers to a past tradition of shared meanings but on the other it implies the presupposition of ideal conditions. This transcendent characterization reveals the ethical background that underlies our interactions. This background has been further rethought by Axel Honneth in terms of relations of recognition.