The Infinity of Meaning in Contemporary Interpretation: A Critical Study

Abstract

This research deals with an aspect of subordination and imitation of Western culture, which is the statement of "open text", and "infinity of meaning", and the research aims to shed light on the concept of the two theories, their origin, and how this is transmitted to Arab thought, as well as aims to show the effects of this on religious texts. The researcher followed the path of critical analytical study, the research came in: Preface, and three sections, the first of which was devoted to talking about: the philosophical foundation of the "infinity of meaning", and the most important founding doctrines of it, with mention of its most important pillars, while the second section focused on the concept of the theory of "open text", And how to transfer it to Arab thought, and the third section was to show the impact of the "open text" on the texts of religion. The researcher has reached results, the most important of which are: that "infinity of meaning" means: the reader's contribution to the creation of meaning, and that saying itleads to the cancellation of the intentions of the author and the speaker, so that the authority of the reader is above the authority of the author of the text, and the reader becomes the producer of the text with his own readings, including: The theory of "open text" affects the legal texts through: emptying the doctrinal text of its facts, and invalidating the intention of the text and its faith intention, and the manufacture of modern facts different from Islam, and that the theory of "reception" is an intellectual extension of it.