Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 15:09:58 -0500
Subject: RE: Phronesis, Kairos -- and 'Trust'?


         Reply to:   RE: Phronesis, Kairos -- and 'Trust'?

Hans Ramo wrote:
>
>In 'Phaenomenologische Interpretation zu Aristoteles. Anzeige der
>hermeneutischen >Situation' (Dilthey-Jahrbuch 6, 1989: 237-269), Heidegger elaborated with >Phronesis' designation by means of Kairos -- a Kairos which H. translated into
>'Augenblick' (thus following a trait originating from Kierkegaard, via
>Nietzsche,
>to Jaspers, H., Adorno, and Benjamin).

Heidegger was fascinated in those days by the possibilties for hermeneutical phenomenology contained in Aristotle's basic concepts, and Phronesis is obviously one of the most tantalizing.  One could ask the question thus:  How does Phronesis "arise" in the hermeneutical situation?  In "Heidegger's Way's" Gadamer recollects a moment during a lecture at that time where Heidegger had a kind of Kaierotic experience himself and identified Phronesis as "conscience," later to become the "Call of Concience" in SuZ.  
That connection makes sense to me when one thinks of phronesis showing itself in rhetorical discourse on the way to producing wise action ( prakton Agathon).  In such a case, phronesis would be recognized/read in the discourse of the Phronimos who in turn "heard" the voice of being/voice of conscience which he then inscribed in the discourse in a way which made the voice of being available to subsequent hearers.  Such a rhetorical-hermemenutical chain would engender the "trust" you speak of:
>
>Lets suppose we disregard from any Eschatological or Biblical 'En Kairo' >interpretations:
>is it then possible to interpret the notions of Phronesis and Kairos in
>relation >to the (in social sciences) much noted concept of Trust?

Though in rhetorical terms, this tust emanates from the character of the speaker ( ethos) as inscribed in the discourse.

If you liked that 1922 essay, you'd love SS1924 which develops some similar themes in explicitly "rhetorical" terms, which has been discussed recently on the list by Raphael and myself.

Hope this is helpful,

Allen

Allen Scult
515 271 2869
http://www.mac.drake.edu/s/scult/scult.html



     --- from list heidegger-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---