Understanding is an Art

A piece of art ongoingly unfolds meanings. From this perspective, every time one looks at the work of art, it gives different shades of meanings and opens itself to other meanings without restriction and enclosing itself. In order to understand and to arrive at the famous figures in the history, we cannot follow a set of fixed principles through which we can conclude that person is such and such. In other words, there cannot be absolutized understanding and interpretation of the person.

In my opinion, and going along with Schleiermacher, the person of history is better known through the art than science. It means that a person’s life is opened to varied variety of interpretations, understanding and meaning as per the context and culture of interpretor, meaning-giver and understander. In other words, no interpretor can claim that his/her interpretation and understanding is absolute and it alone is true. It can be possible that one intepretor may not accept or agree with the interpretation of the other. But, what must be remembered is that every interpretation unfolds a new meaning and reveals a degree of truth. In other words, it only reveals a partial truth and not comprehensive truth.

I am also aware and acknowledge that art suffers from many pitfalls such as; no guiding rules, relativism, individualistic opinion, and so on. But what is interesting in understanding from the perspective of art is that it gives freedom to arrive at meaning as per the needs and demands of the context.