Weltdeutung

Weltdeutung is a German term that translates roughly as the interpretation or meaning of the world. In philosophy and the humanities it refers to the processes by which individuals or groups construct and negotiate their understanding of reality. It is closely related to, but not identical with, terms such as Weltbild (worldview) and Weltanschauung (world outlook), and it is used to analyze how knowledge, perception, language, tradition, and historical context shape what counts as the world.

Different intellectual currents offer varying accounts of how the world is interpreted. In Kantian and post-Kantian thought, the world is not a directly given object but is organized through cognitive forms and categories. In phenomenology, the world is disclosed through lived experience and intentionality. In hermeneutics, understanding arises from interpreting texts and social life within their historical horizons. In science studies, the interpretation of the world can change as theories and models shift, leading to different scientific worldviews or paradigms.

Weltdeutung emphasizes meaning-making and critique of naively assumed objectivity. It invites examination of presuppositions, cultural biases, and power relations that influence how reality is construed. The concept is applied across disciplines, including philosophy, theology, sociology, literary theory, and cultural studies, to explore how different communities produce distinct interpretations of the world.

While not tied to a single canonical work, Weltdeutung remains a useful lens for discussing how reality is experienced, described, and contested. See also Weltbild, Weltanschauung, Hermeneutik, Phänomenologie.