A Philosophical Perspective of Communication

Abstract

The study of communication suffers from two basic problems: It lacks a theoretical canon and philosophical rigor. In view of these limitations, this article explores the significance of continental philosophy for the growth of the field. Attention is given to the traditions of phenomenology, hermeneutics, and epistemology in an effort to grasp how such notions as experience, interpretation, and power explain communicative intents, acts, and processes. The paper concludes that the application of these philosophies is necessary for traversing the borders of arid positivism and technological determinism in communication and media theory, research, and practice.