Preface

Metaphor is a common phenomenon of language in all kinds of texts and discour-ses. Since ancient Greek rhetoric, study on metaphor has never stopped. The history ofmetaphor study is one of conflicting understanding and is also one with the changes of truth theories. However, it is not convincing to confine metaphor within rhetoric and poetics, or cognitive science, because many questions about metaphor are unan-swered. Both Heidegger's Hermeneutics of Dasein and Gadamer's philosophical herme-neutics form a solid foundation for further study on metaphor, so it is of significance to expound the meaning and characteristics of metaphor from the perspective of herme-neutics. How can we define metaphor? In what sense does metaphor have ontological significance? Is it possible for metaphor to disclose being? What's the relationship a-mong metaphor, truth and being? These are key questions to clarify the relationship between metaphor and truth. This book intends to explore the ontological significance based on the interpretation of metaphor from hermeneutical point of view. Rooted in life-world（Lebenswelt）, Metaphor is the representation of truth of being and practical wisdom. Metaphor, as the world experience that is the basic experience of human ex-istence, structures our“reality”. It gathers the meaning of our life and opens to the world and the future.

This research starts from elaborating the meaning of metaphor and truth from the perspective of existentialism. Metaphor is the understanding of being of Dasein under the situations of existence, which is the representation of truth of being and world ex-perience of humans in coping with the world. Truth is the disclosing state of being by the unfolding of Dasein. Based on such interpretation of metaphor and truth, the dis-sertation illustrates how metaphors reveal being and disclose truth. Then, it is analyzed that the role of metaphor in history changes with truth theories, which shows historicality and actuality of human understanding. At last, it is discussed that the fact that the truth of being points to the world of meaning is of great importance for humans. With the framework mentioned, the dissertation consists of five chapters. The first chapter is the literature review of metaphor study in the field of cognitive science, lin-guistics and philosophy in last 50 years. Chapter two focuses on the concept analysis of metaphor and truth from hermeneutical point of view. Then, chapter three explains three structural features of metaphor as the representation of truth of being: dialogical-ity, discloseness and eventness. Chapter four summarizes the actual development of metaphor in“prosperity—depression—focus”three periods and the role of metaphor has changed with the times and truth theories. From the pursuit of truth of certainty to the importance attached to methodology and epistemology, then to the existentialism of truth theory in the 20thcentury, the role of metaphor has changed from only within rhetoric and poetics to the withdrawing status, then to the focus of 20thcentury. Such development reflects the fact that human understanding is greatly influenced by histori-cal situations and requirements of reality. Chapter five expounds that truth of being points to the world of meaning, which is of linguistic features. Therefore, metaphor discloses world of meaning and structures“reality”. Truth, as disclosing being, can be realized only in the understanding of Dasein and understanding happens in the in-teracting and understanding of dialogue. Being disclosed in understanding, points to the world of meaning which can be revealed only by language. Metaphor is practical wisdom, which gathers our world experience and plans for new understanding with the accumulation of experience. The world of meaning structured by metaphor is not illu-sory, but our“reality”based on“life-world”.

Theexplanation of metaphor as representation of being and discloseness of truth from ontological significance, highlights the relation among metaphor, truth and world from the hermeneutical point of view. With such perspective, we are able to return to“life-world”, free from the confinement of technology essence of scientific rationality. Discloseness and openness of metaphor reflects the facts that humans when understand-ing being, co-exist with the world and language. The actuality of the world of meaning justifies the validity of the human sciences, which is its truthfulness. Human sciences do not just serve as a foil for science but is concerned with the existential meaning and value of our life. Meaning world of understanding is the highest pursuit of human value.

Ding Man

May 2021