Husserlian Husserlian PhenomenologPhenomenolog

yyDr. James A. SnyderDr. James A. Snyder

Postmodern PhilosophyPostmodern Philosophy

Main question: What is Main question: What is consciousness consciousness (Bewußtsein)?(Bewußtsein)?

1.1. The science of the “experience” of The science of the “experience” of consciousness from a non-naturalistic & non-consciousness from a non-naturalistic & non-objectivistic perspective that adopts the objectivistic perspective that adopts the phenomenologicalphenomenological methodmethod

2.2. Why study consciousness? Because it is the Why study consciousness? Because it is the ultimate condition for the possibility of any ultimate condition for the possibility of any experience whatsoever (whether practical or experience whatsoever (whether practical or theoretical), including knowledge, faith, theoretical), including knowledge, faith, beliefs, and/or opinions. beliefs, and/or opinions.

1.1. If we don’t know what consciousness is, then we If we don’t know what consciousness is, then we know nothing, for it is the common root of all know nothing, for it is the common root of all science whatsoever, i.e., all sciences, as well as all science whatsoever, i.e., all sciences, as well as all beliefs and opinions, are rooted in consciousnessbeliefs and opinions, are rooted in consciousness

Husserl’s Task: Husserl’s Task: Developing Developing

Philosophy as a Philosophy as a Rigorous ScienceRigorous Science

1.1. To find and secure the foundations of rational To find and secure the foundations of rational science/knowledge (whether philosophical or science/knowledge (whether philosophical or natural-scientific) through a phenomenological natural-scientific) through a phenomenological study of human consciousnessstudy of human consciousness

2.2. To secure epistemological certaintyTo secure epistemological certainty3.3. To solve the “crisis” of European-Western To solve the “crisis” of European-Western

sciencescience4.4. To overcome naturalismTo overcome naturalism

1.1. Why overcome naturalism? Because naturalism is Why overcome naturalism? Because naturalism is premised on unjustified philosophical assumptions premised on unjustified philosophical assumptions that render it problematic, in the best case, and that render it problematic, in the best case, and meaningless in the worst meaningless in the worst

Phenomenology as the Phenomenology as the Science of Science of ExperienceExperience

1.1. Phenomenology is radical because it Phenomenology is radical because it strives to be a strives to be a presuppositionlesspresuppositionless sciencescience

2.2. Phenomenology is a form of Phenomenology is a form of rationalismrationalism

1.1. It searches for a priori principles and It searches for a priori principles and essences regarding the nature of essences regarding the nature of consciousnessconsciousness

2.2. Holds that truth and knowledge is a Holds that truth and knowledge is a matter of rational evidencematter of rational evidence

3.3. Phenomenology is a form of Phenomenology is a form of radical radical empiricismempiricism

The Phenomenological The Phenomenological MethodMethod

1.1. requires a shift from the natural attitude to requires a shift from the natural attitude to the phenomenological attitudethe phenomenological attitude

1.1. The The Natural AttitudeNatural Attitude: the mode of consciousness in : the mode of consciousness in which we usually relate to the world of objects. This which we usually relate to the world of objects. This attitude has several implicit and unrecognized attitude has several implicit and unrecognized assumptions that are as unwarranted as they are assumptions that are as unwarranted as they are natural and taken for grantednatural and taken for granted1.1. Metaphysical assumptions about “reality” ; the Metaphysical assumptions about “reality” ; the

physical-metaphysical dichotomyphysical-metaphysical dichotomy2.2. The subject-object dichotomyThe subject-object dichotomy3.3. The internal-external dichotomyThe internal-external dichotomy4.4. The mind-body dichotomyThe mind-body dichotomy5.5. Value determinations and judgmentsValue determinations and judgments

2.2. The The Theoretical AttitudeTheoretical Attitude1.1. a mode, or manner, of consciousness with and through a mode, or manner, of consciousness with and through

which we usually study the various dichotomies which we usually study the various dichotomies (subject-object, internal-external, mind-body etc)(subject-object, internal-external, mind-body etc)

Step 1: Phenomenological Step 1: Phenomenological reductionreduction

1.1. phenomenological phenomenological epocheepoche1.1. Enact a shift in consciousness into a Enact a shift in consciousness into a phenomenological phenomenological

modemode that allows that allows phenomenaphenomena to appear to to appear to consciousness so that one can philosophically analyze consciousness so that one can philosophically analyze the nature of the contents of consciousness without the nature of the contents of consciousness without making prejudicial unwarranted assumptions making prejudicial unwarranted assumptions 1.1. Epoche: “bracketing”, “suspending belief and Epoche: “bracketing”, “suspending belief and

involvement”involvement”1.1. suspend any and all attitudes, beliefs, judgments aboutsuspend any and all attitudes, beliefs, judgments about

1.1. the the existenceexistence of the world of the world

2.2. the existence of the existence of particular entitiesparticular entities, whether empirical or , whether empirical or mental, real or ideal, imaginary or actual, etcmental, real or ideal, imaginary or actual, etc

3.3. theoriestheories about the nature and existence of the world, about the nature and existence of the world, knowledge, self, God etcknowledge, self, God etc

Step 2: Phenomenological Step 2: Phenomenological descriptiondescription

1.1. Once the world is bracketed, or suspended, Once the world is bracketed, or suspended, the phenomenologist must the phenomenologist must describedescribe the the matter, or phenomena, under investigationmatter, or phenomena, under investigation

2.2. This phenomenologically reduced description This phenomenologically reduced description tells us about tells us about the actual experience of the actual experience of consciousnessconsciousness, for whatever thing-meaning is , for whatever thing-meaning is described is a necessary correlate of the described is a necessary correlate of the consciousness consciousness

3.3. When the consciousness of the When the consciousness of the phenomenologist achieves such a reduction, phenomenologist achieves such a reduction, consciousness itself appears to itself: consciousness itself appears to itself: conscious awareness becomes scientifically conscious awareness becomes scientifically aware of itselfaware of itself

1.1. The consciousness of the phenomenologist is The consciousness of the phenomenologist is experienced firsthand, in a full evidentiary experienced firsthand, in a full evidentiary beholdinig: consciousness has become purified of its beholdinig: consciousness has become purified of its objects and is beheld by itself by its own purified objects and is beheld by itself by its own purified activity of seeing itself in its purified state!activity of seeing itself in its purified state!

Major Results: Consciousness as Major Results: Consciousness as IntentionalityIntentionality

1.1. What consciousness is notWhat consciousness is not1.1. Consciousness is not a substance, either a physical Consciousness is not a substance, either a physical

(Aristotle, Hobbes, Marx) or a metaphysical thing (Aristotle, Hobbes, Marx) or a metaphysical thing (Plato, Descartes)(Plato, Descartes)

2.2. Consciousness is not just a stream of sensations Consciousness is not just a stream of sensations (Hume)(Hume)

3.3. Consciousness is not simply a transcendental but Consciousness is not simply a transcendental but logical necessity (Kant)logical necessity (Kant)

4.4. Consciousness is not simply the activity of a material Consciousness is not simply the activity of a material brain as constructed by social-economic ideology brain as constructed by social-economic ideology (Marx)(Marx)

2.2. Consciousness has an Consciousness has an intentional structureintentional structure 1.1. In-tention-alityIn-tention-ality: Consciousness is always an : Consciousness is always an active active

projective tensionprojective tension toward a meaningtoward a meaning, is always , is always directed toward a meaningdirected toward a meaning1.1. Experience is always a unified experience of something, Experience is always a unified experience of something,

which is the happening of meaningwhich is the happening of meaning2.2. Structure: noetic correlate (subject) + neomatic Structure: noetic correlate (subject) + neomatic

correlate (object)correlate (object)3.3. Consciousness Consciousness isis being-in-the-worldbeing-in-the-world

The Discovery of EssencesThe Discovery of Essences

1.1. Eidetic reduction: consciousness further reduces the Eidetic reduction: consciousness further reduces the phenomenological description of experiential objects phenomenological description of experiential objects to their fundamental essencesto their fundamental essences

1.1. Eidetic = Essence = the defining characteristics of …. X, Eidetic = Essence = the defining characteristics of …. X, i.e., the meaning of …. Xi.e., the meaning of …. X

2.2. Essences are not discovered by means of empirical Essences are not discovered by means of empirical inductive abstractions and generalizations from particular inductive abstractions and generalizations from particular instancesinstances

3.3. Rather, essences are experienced immediately through Rather, essences are experienced immediately through direct intuition, which allows things to be seen direct intuition, which allows things to be seen meaningfullymeaningfully

2.2. Result: the eidetic reduction reveals to us Result: the eidetic reduction reveals to us the world the world as livedas lived, i.e., the life-world, i.e., the life-world

Transcendental Transcendental PhenomenologyPhenomenology

1.1. The transcendental ego: a non-substantial, The transcendental ego: a non-substantial, transcendentally ideal (but not empirically real) transcendentally ideal (but not empirically real) sense (meaning) of “self” that is created by sense (meaning) of “self” that is created by consciousness as the consciousness as the abstract logical correlateabstract logical correlate of the meaning of objects that are of the meaning of objects that are givengiven to to consciousness in a way that are consciousness in a way that are constituted byconstituted by consciousnessconsciousness

2.2. Genetic phenomenology: the study of the ways Genetic phenomenology: the study of the ways in which consciousness constitutes the meaning in which consciousness constitutes the meaning of objectsof objects

The Life-World (Lebenswelt)The Life-World (Lebenswelt)

1.1. The life-world is the lived-experience of pre-reflective The life-world is the lived-experience of pre-reflective and pre-theoretical consciousness: the world as it is and pre-theoretical consciousness: the world as it is actually lived; not the world that is studiedactually lived; not the world that is studied

2.2. The life-world is the experience of The life-world is the experience of everyday everyday existenceexistence; phenomenology studies its meaning ; phenomenology studies its meaning without the imposition of empirical, objective natural without the imposition of empirical, objective natural science or various theories about experiencescience or various theories about experience

1.1. The meaning of ….X (selfhood, others, I-other relations, The meaning of ….X (selfhood, others, I-other relations, community, worldly objects, values, societal structures, community, worldly objects, values, societal structures, religious communities and individual spiritual experiences, religious communities and individual spiritual experiences, etc.)etc.)