Levels, Elements and Functions of the Hermeneutic Circle

The hermeneutic circle articulated by different hermeneuticans in various versions is one of the basic problems in modern hermeneutics. Romanic hermeneutics introduced the circle as a methodological principle، but in philosophical hermeneutics the circle has ontological dimensions and regards as a process of understanding. Heidegger believes that hermeneutic circle reflects Dasein’s existential constitution and Gadamer sees it as a description of mechanism of understanding. Each of these conceptions require entering specific factors in to the circle and expects special functions from it. In this article different narratives and conceptions of circle is discussed then we use an analytic approach to study functions and elements of circle in four levels: We attempted to articulate function and elements of the circle in discriminative levels. The first level consists in understanding and interpretation of text، which is based on philological function of the circle. The second level includes a process of revision and review of pre-understanding and prejudice. Self-understanding another function of the circle is inspected in the third level. The fourth level scrutinized effecting in effective history that is another function of hermeneutic circle.