Resumo

WEISS, Eduardo. Hermeneutics and Dense Description versus Proven Theory. RMIE [online]. 2017, vol.22, n.73, pp.637-654. ISSN 1405-6666.

A large number of master’s and doctoral theses state in the methodological chapter that work has been performed from the focus of proven theory and with the support of computer software for codification. This essay proposes that the hermeneutic circle, from the anticipation of meaning to comprehension (Gadamer, Ritsert), is a notion that is more pertinent to orient the interpreter’s dialog with the text, or the researcher with sociocultural processes. At the same time, the hermeneutic circle addresses the relation of the parts to the whole, the text and the context, which Geertz revived under the name of dense description. Thus emphasized is the importance of description over the operations of codification promoted by computer packages.

Palavras-chave : epistemology; hermeneutics; qualitative research; research methodology.