The second semester lecture-discussion of the 12th academic year of the "Student Researcher" scholarship program, initiated and organized by the AMT, was successfully held on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, from 18:00 to 20:30 at the AMT.

        The guest speaker for the lecture-discussion was Dr. Sükheegiin Amartüvshin, Associate Professor of the Journalism Department at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST), who delivered a lecture on the topic.He reminded us that our pool of knowledge is shallow, and because of this, there are significant challenges in conducting professional-level research. He urged us to constantly recharge and update our knowledge by drawing from this vast ocean of knowledge.To briefly summarize the content of the lecture:

             Dr. Amartüvshin discussed documentary literature, contemporary literary renewal, journalistic skills, and journalism-related subjects. He also shared several books he has written on these topics, which you can explore.How should you interpret meaning? First and foremost, you must understand the work before attempting to interpret it, then proceed to explain it, and finally write a critique. What should you understand in a work? Focus on the imagery, carefully connect the events, and pay attention to the genre, style, and narrative technique.

              Understanding and Interpretation: Understanding is a key concept in hermeneutics. There are two ways to understand:Intuitive understanding (instinctively).The second is interpreting and explaining what is felt or sensed. In the first case, the interpretation becomes complete. Gadamer argued that understanding is always relative, and that confidence can be a significant barrier to understanding.

             Interpretation is a secondary element of understanding. In the philosophy of hermeneutics, interpreting one's understanding was not seen as important, but it is of great significance in the fields of art and literary criticism. Interpretation is a process similar to translation, and when combined with coding, it transforms into structuralist understanding. When related to translation, it connects with semiotics. Essentially, interpretation is deeply connected to human thinking, cognitive scope, and personal viewpoints.In Russian, the word "понимание" (understanding) leads to a philosophical reflection of great importance. The term "по-имать" (to understand) also implies "to possess" or "to hold," which is reflected in the linguistic root and its connection to the idea of 'grasping' or 'naming.'The philosophy that explains understanding is hermeneutics.

           In the 20th century, two main forms of philosophical hermeneutics emerged: on one side, consciousness hermeneutics (Schleiermacher, Dilthey), and on the other side, practical hermeneutics (Heidegger's disciple Gadamer). These two approaches are fundamentally different. According to consciousness hermeneutics, understanding involves entering another person’s psychological world and sharing their thoughts and emotions (empathy). On the other hand, practical hermeneutics views understanding as the meaning of human experience expressed through language and action.

              Both forms of hermeneutics agree on the idea of a "hermeneutic circle." To understand the whole, one must first understand its individual parts, and in order to understand the parts, one must have a prior understanding of the whole. To comprehend the beginning of a text, one must understand the text as a whole; similarly, understanding the middle or end of a text is largely determined by its beginning.Hermeneutics, or the theory of interpretation: According to Gadamer, interpreting and understanding the world around us can only be done through language (written or spoken). Thus, the world is revealed through language, which serves as the medium for hermeneutic experience. In other words, human experiences about the world must necessarily take on a linguistic (and thus interpretive) form.F.D. Schleiermacher argued that one must first fully understand a speech or text before attempting to understand more deeply than the author’s own explanation. By doing so, one can clarify any ambiguities and uncover hidden meanings.Using texts as a means of acquiring scientific knowledge and interpreting both the text and its author is a hallmark of hermeneutics. Analyzing a text scientifically to understand and interpret the work and the author's intentions is considered one of the most intricate forms of interpretation. In its philosophical sense, hermeneutics is a higher form of ontological cognition.Philosophical works, in particular, require this approach to be interpreted and understood. The understanding (or phenomenon) presented to readers in philosophical works is something that must be noted and explained—this is what hermeneutics does. Thus, hermeneutics, as an art of interpretation, is inherently connected with language and thought.

               Hermeneutics, Literary Criticism, and Aesthetics: Hermeneutics, as a general theory of interpretation, has also developed specific principles for interpreting texts. In this sense, hermeneutics can be considered a "scientific" philosophy, particularly in the humanities.As a branch of the humanities, hermeneutics gives special attention to artistic texts. Thus, one area of hermeneutics is literary theory.One of the founders of modern hermeneutics, the German theologian and philosopher F.D. Schleiermacher, defined the role of the interpreter or critic as understanding a literary text better than its author.Hermeneutics, as a general theory of interpretation, also develops specific principles for interpreting texts. In this sense, it is a "scientific" philosophy and, in this case, part of the humanities.As part of the humanities, it particularly focuses on artistic texts. Thus, literary theory is a subfield of hermeneutics.Understanding and interpreting deep meaning: 1. Read, but understand: approach with intuitive awareness. 2. Interpret meaning through deep reading / interpretation. Break through abstraction and engage in profound reading. 3. Explain / interpret. Reread. Use cultural and artistic references to explain and interpret.

          We thank S. Amartüvshin for accepting our invitation and delivering this fascinating lecture. We also thank the student researchers who attended. We wish you all great success in your academic endeavors.