The act of assent

Savarimuthu’s merit lies in his precise reconstruction of this network of concepts with hermeneutic acuity, achieved through careful comparison with the works of the two authors discussed. This analysis serves as a foundation for Lonergan’s thought, demonstrating how he advances beyond Newman in the development of his insights and arguments. The extent of this advancement warrants further investigation, as suggested by the author of the book: to interpret texts methodically while being mindful of their historical context and their capacity to reveal meanings that extend beyond their authors’ intentions.

Titolo: The act of assent
Tipo di pubblicazione: articolo
Anno di pubblicazione: 2025
Autore: Michele Marchetto
Rivista: IUSVEducation #25
Pagine: 186-192
Data di pubblicazione: aprile 2025
Editore: IUSVE – Istituto Universitario Salesiano
ISSN: 2283-642X

Come citare: Marchetto, M. (2025). The act of assent. IUSVEducation, 25, 186-192. https://www.iusveducation.it/the-act-of-assent/

Paper PDF: IUSVEducation_25_Marchetto_ACT_ASSENT.pdf

Albert Kumar Savarimuthu’s study employs a dual-framework methodology, incorporating two critical categories: one emerging from Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics, and the other directly grounded in the thought of John Henry Newman. These categories underpin the analysis of Newman and Bernard Lonergan, the primary subjects of investigation in this work. These are respectively «the history of effects [Wirkungsgeschichte]» and «development».
On the one hand, the author follows the teaching that «to require an inquiry into history of effect every time a work of art or an aspect of the tradition is led out of the twilight region between tradition and history so that it can be seen clearly and openly in terms of its own meaning» (Gadamer 2006: 299). In this way, he places Newman’s work, in particular the Grammar of Assent, in the «hermeneutical situation, […] a standpoint that limits the possibility of vision», and, at the same time, in a «horizon, […] the range of vision that includes everything that can be seen from a particular vantage point».
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