Denotation(义)and connotation(意)are core concepts in human cognition and interpretation.In the Chinese language system,denotation and connotation have profound differences in their origins,purposes,and cognitive orientations.Denotation encompasses objectivity and certainty,possessing an alignment with the essence of the related object,while connotation contains subjectivity and multiplicity,which may be alienated from and even opposed to the essence of the related object.To construct Chinese hermeneutics,we must distinguish between denotation and connotation,and do a good job in managing their relationship.From the epistemological perspective,as denotation precedes connotation,it is necessary to adhere to the cognitive path that prioritizes denotation over connotation.As connotation derives from denotation,their interpretation and combination require open communicative orientation along with rational delineation,so as to achieve eventual convergence.Then,connotation will transform and ascend into a new denotation.This transition from connotation to denotation,which is a recognition from value to knowledge,is neither a simple affirmation nor negation,but a historical process subject to public rationality testing.In human practice,the endless ascent from denotation to connotation proves that the certainty in human cognition pursues stability and permanence.
Chinese hermeneuticsdenotation(义)connotation(意)publicness
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