Was Dilthey's work truly empirical?
Some have questioned the empirical nature of my approach, suggesting that emphasizing interpretation and empathy might lead to subjectivity. However, my intention was not to abandon observation. Rather, I sought an 'inner experience' that is intrinsically linked to outward expressions. The data for the human sciences, for me, are found in the lived world as it presents itself through historical monuments, texts, and social structures. This lived reality is the bedrock of understanding, not a purely abstract philosophical construct.
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