Phenomenology (philosophy)

Phenomenology is a philosophical movement that emerged in the early 20th century, primarily associated with the works of Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Jean-Paul Sartre. It is a philosophical approach that emphasizes the detailed description of conscious experiences, including the structure of experience itself, without recourse to explanation, deduction, or reduction to more fundamental entities.

History

Phenomenology as a philosophical movement began in the early 20th century with the work of Edmund Husserl. Husserl's work was heavily influenced by the psychologism of his time, but he argued for a more rigorous, disciplined approach to philosophy. His work laid the groundwork for later phenomenologists such as Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Jean-Paul Sartre.

Method

The method of phenomenology involves a return to the things themselves, a direct investigation and description of phenomena as consciously experienced, without theories about their causal explanation and as free as possible from unexamined preconceptions and presuppositions. The phenomenologist practices a kind of bracketing called epoché, which involves setting aside questions about the physical or psychological nature of the phenomena to focus purely on the phenomena as experienced.

Key Concepts

Phenomenology involves several key concepts, including intentionality, the phenomenological reduction, and the lifeworld. Intentionality refers to the structure of consciousness as always being conscious of something. The phenomenological reduction involves bracketing or setting aside the natural attitude towards the world in order to focus on the pure phenomena. The lifeworld is the pre-theoretical, lived experience of the world.

Influence

Phenomenology has had a significant influence on a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, and the philosophy of mind. It has also influenced other philosophical movements, such as existentialism and hermeneutics.

Edmund Husserl, the founder of phenomenology

See Also

• Existentialism
• Hermeneutics
• Psychologism
• Philosophy of Mind