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The book presents a compelling argument that the origins of modern hermeneutics are rooted in the dialectic of reflective and teleological reason as articulated by Kant, rather than starting with Friedrich Ast and Friedrich Schleiermacher. It explores how Kant's philosophical framework laid the groundwork for later developments in interpretation theory, offering a fresh perspective on the evolution of hermeneutics and its foundational concepts. Through this lens, it reexamines the historical narrative surrounding the discipline's beginnings.

Focusing on the intersection of analytic and Continental philosophy, this book explores the relationship between language and meaning through the lenses of linguistics, semiology, and semiotics. The author challenges traditional views by proposing that linguistic expressions serve as frameworks guiding us to engage with nonlinguistic sign systems, rather than being anchored solely by definitions. This innovative approach invites readers to reconsider how meaning is constructed and understood in philosophical discourse.

In this book, first published in 1981, the author argues that narrative is an interaction between "the presented world and the presentational process" and attempts to define narrative from the perspective of reading. The Reader's Construction of Narrative includes chapters on narrative language, translating narrative and discusses what happens when we read a narrative text. This book will be of particular interest to students of literary theory.