The use of the three fold mimesis

Abstract

This article aims to illustrate how mimetic interpretation methodology in humanities research can be viewed as a creative continuous process of interpretation. The article offers a deepened and philosophically anchored understanding of processes that go on in many interpretative and reflective research processes, by shedding light on crucial dimensions of interpretation. The research question addressed is how the mimetic processes of interpretation can be used for generating novel and useful knowledge. By revealing the creative element in mimetic interpretations exemplified by interpretation of empirical data, the article sheds new light on the processes of generating novel and useful knowledge. It is argued that a Ricoeurian-inspired mimetic hermeneutics reflective process of interpretation is not only about textual interpretations carried out by the researchers, but also about readers’ or listeners’ interpretations. It is concluded that a Ricoeurian-inspired interpretative mimetic process is a process of creativity, adding new or extended knowledge to the readers of the text.

Keywords

• Narratives, mimesis, creativity, methaphors, plots