Schleiermacher's understanding of what confronts hermeneutics remains unsurpassed to the present day. For him, the chief task was the search for the content of hermeneutics as well as the clarification of the foundations of its scientific techniques. Shpet wishes to concentrate on Schleiermacher's treatment of the fundamental principles of hermeneutics. Although Schleiermacher pays little attention to where to start, his overall position is both sensible and free from the commonplaces that are typically found in treatments of practical disciplines.