Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang

            Students of Masters Program (PPs) University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) were re-introduced to the research methodology which is still very rare used in Indonesia. After some time ago they examined phenomenological study through book review "Phenomenology Study of Self Identity and TNI Profession" by Muhadjir Effendy, Saturday (1/16) they must seriously discuss the philosophy of Heidegger together with source person Prof. Dr. Armada Riyanto.

           The discussion was followed by no less than 80 students of UMM Masters Program who largely took the Masters in Sociology and Social and Political Sciences Doctoral Program. Chief of Masters in Sociology Study Program, Vina Salviana DS, hoped that later thesis writing of undergraduate program, thesis of Masters Program or dissertation can be more familiar with this hermeneutic approach. "So that their scientific work can be more meaningful," said Vina Salfiana who was the former Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Science of UMM.

           Father Armada, the nick name of this source person who is also Professor of Widya Sasana College of Theological Philosophy Malang, discussed the philosophical approach of Martin Heidegger. He wrote a paper entitled "Berfilsafat dalam Martin Heidegger, Being and Time/Philosophizing in Martin Heidegger, Being and Time".

           "Hermeneutics and phenomenology studies resulted from Heidegger's philosophy are actually very much, but in Indonesia may still be very small. This is probably due to the difficulty of translating the original German-language works," said Armada. "Being and Time" itself is a translation from the original title "Sein und Zeit".

           So, it is understood, continued Armada, that there are often different meanings of word we encounter. In fact, in philosophy, terminology becomes very important. The difference in defining the word 'exist' whether it is 'appearing to be existed' or 'the actor in making the existence' which are translations of word 'sein' and 'esn', is one of complex example. "In English, it is translated into 'being', although that's not quite true," said Armada.

           The serious example, Armada said, was when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gave title to the late KH Abdurrahman Wahid as the leader of pluralism. Meanwhile, this is the terminology that is still popular among the Muslim scholars. Even, MUI indicated ‘pluralism’ as one of its 'haram' fatwa.

           The serious and interesting discussion no doubt made some students becoming more open-minded. They wish to explore further that theme. Agus Amin, a student of Masters in Sociology, felt being challenged to compare the methodology of hermeneutics with other text methodology. "It's very interesting and challenging," said Agus. (rno/t_alf)