/r/Phenomenology
This is a subreddit dedicated to discussing Phenomenology within the philosophical or theoretical tradition.
This is a subreddit dedicated to discussing Phenomenology within the philosophical or theoretical tradition.
All discussions or links are accepted as long as they have something to do with phenomenology and are not simply phenomena themselves.
Ressources:
*What is phenomenology? (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
/r/Phenomenology
It's a feeling of being connected to something larger. Like you and the others are feeling too. I know I heard the term somewhere, and have experienced it, but what is it? or what is it called? can anyone guide me or point me on the right direction please? TIA
I am approaching phenomenology and I struggle to graps what "the originally offered in the intuition" is about. Are the primitive (forgive my lack of better and more technical terminology) concepts and ideas, the a priori categories, what is originally offered to us in the flesh and bones, the starting toolkit we are equipped with, the kernel of the DaSein itself? However we want to describe that stuff, deep woven into ourselves.. are we talking about, for example, quantity, absence, presence, existence, becoming/change, space, before and after, things, the difference between things, the difference between self and things, boundaries, causation/correlation, basic elements of logic and math etc?
Those inescapable features of our cognition, that even in defining them, or denying them, or in doubting them, one icannot avoid to make use of them?
Or I'm framing intuition and its contents in the wrong way.
Thanks for you patience
I've had phenomenology at university and I think I got a pretty good understanding of it's basic concepts and foundations, but I'd like to revist it to be absolutely sure I know the basics solidly and also where I should go from there to further dephen my understaing on the matter. Which books/texts/articles and in which order should I read to achive my goal?
Edit: Thanks everyone, I see some very good suggestions here. Feel free to add more if you want to, it will surely help people in the same place I am.
Using the "Hostile Witness" of Language for Good.
Language, and specifically text, presents a unique paradox. On the one hand, it can be seen as a "hostile witness"—an entity that holds power to obscure, mislead, and complicate the journey toward truth and genuine understanding. On the other hand, if harnessed wisely, it can be transformed into a powerful ally for greater clarity and connection. By understanding the double-edged nature of language, we can use it to transcend separation, avoid the traps of dogmatic belief, and foster deeper, more genuine connections between ourselves and others.
In this way, the "hostile witness" of language becomes a powerful ally, not by asserting fixed truths but by guiding us toward deeper awareness of our interconnectedness. The act of communication becomes an invitation to be present, to understand one another beyond words, and to honor the commonality of our existence. This, ultimately, is the most precious knowability we have of one another—the shared moment of being, where we are all agents in the field of agency, co-creating reality together.
A very recent interview about Husserl with Dermot Moran.
I come from a math background and recently began to study Transperancy, Intentionality etc., and such, wanted to put forth the multitude of facets in intentionality as it seems to be a central concept in further reading. Correct me if I'm contributing to a false conception here
Intentionality is the "aboutness" relating to a state of affairs, objects or a single, discrete object, but, in many cases it seems to be equivalent of the phenomenal character
To say that conscious experiences exhibit intentionality is to say that they are of or about something. It does not imply they must be voluntary or deliberate (Graham, Horgan, and Tienson 2009, 521). When I see a book, for instance, my seeing is of the book, and when I desire a pay raise, my experience of desiring is directed at my getting a raise. In accordance with established usage, I will frequently refer to such experiences as “acts,” and refer to those things they are directed upon as their “objects,
(Walter Hopp 2020, 2)
So the salient condition in which we desire a pay raise is considered intentionality in that context? Doesn't the phenomenal character of that very state of affairs suffice us desiring a pay raise though? What differs Intentionality and phenomenal character here? Another categorization is "intentional directedness", when Walter Hopp is talking about Speaks' difference in object intentionalism, he uses this very word
Any introspectable difference between experiences above and beyond differences in their intentional directedness, along with various non-intentional relations that each bears to objects and other experiences, is a difference in their objects. If all that is available to introspection or inner awareness beyond the existence, intentional direction, and non-intentional relations that the experience bears to other things and experiences are entities on the right-hand side of the intentional nexus, then any phenomenal difference between two experiences must be a difference in their objects.
(Walter Hopp 2020, 10)
So is intentional directedness the "genre" in which we map a set of objects to a other one, constituting a "personalized" and "intentional" experience along with other relations that come off as "non-intentional"?
https://sophere.org/upcoming-events-2024/non-objects-cfa-2024/
Should be a great event! Graham Harman and Michel Bitbol are confirmed as speakers.
I remember learning about some philosopher (I thought it was Simone Weil but maybe I'm wrong) who said that there is a profound and infinite difference between an empty room and then one where there is a human in it. And then to ponder on why that is. I have tried googling this but nothing really comes up.
Hi, I've started reading phenomenology lately and I've been really interested in Husserl's intentionality (and other philosopher's interpretations of it). A while back, I studied the problem of personal identity in philosophy (mainly the Neo-lockean and animalist divide). It seems to me that someone like Husserl would respond to their arguments using the concept of intentionality as a condition for identity (or ig a way that identity can be formed and evolved). Just wondering if there were any phenomenologists who dealt with this problem more explicitly? Thanks in advance!
EXTENDED DESCRIPTIONS (expanding on post 1 of 2)
I. Contextual Shifts (Theme remains essentially unchanged)
II. Simple Thematic Shifts
III. Radical Thematic Shifts
IV. Margin to Theme Succession
From \ To | Thematic Focus | Contextual Field | Halo | Horizon | Latent Potentiality | Emergent Synergy | Cross-Modal Fusion | Recursive Reflection | Intersubjective Resonance | Temporal Horizon Shift | Emotional Substrate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thematic Focus | Restructuring | Synthesis | Theme to Halo | Obscuration | Latent Activation | Synergy Formation | Sensory Integration | Iterative Focus | Shared Focus | Temporal Reflection | Emotional Inflection |
Contextual Field | Singling Out | Elucidation/Obscuration | Context to Halo | Contraction | Latent Triggering | Context-Synergy | Multi-Sensory Focus | Contextual Reflection | Collective Context | Temporal Contextualization | Emotional Feedback |
Halo | Halo to Theme | Halo to Context | Internal Halo Shifts | Halo to Horizon | Latent to Halo | Halo Synergy | Sensory Extension | Iterative Peripheral | Group Halo Resonance | Temporal Halo Activation | Emotional Modulation |
Horizon | Margin to Theme | Enlargement | Horizon to Halo | Internal Horizon | Horizon-Latent Shift | Horizon Synergy | Cross-Sensory Horizon | Horizon Reflection | Horizon Resonance | Temporal Horizon Shift | Emotional Background |
Latent Potentiality | Surfacing Theme | Latent to Context | Latent to Halo | Latent Triggering | Full Emergence | Latent-Synergy Fusion | Latent Cross-Sensory | Latent Recursion | Latent Group Resonance | Temporal Latency | Latent Emotional Rise |
Emergent Synergy | Synergy-Focused Theme | Synergy Context | Synergy-Halo Shift | Synergy Horizon | Latent-Synergy Trigger | Synergistic Emergence | Cross-Sensory Synergy | Synergistic Recursion | Synergistic Group Insight | Temporal Synergy | Emotional Synergy |
Cross-Modal Fusion | Cross-Modal Theme | Cross-Modal Context | Cross-Modal Halo | Cross-Modal Horizon | Latent Cross-Modal | Cross-Modal Synergy | Full Sensory Integration | Sensory Recursion | Cross-Modal Group Focus | Temporal Sensory Awareness | Emotional-Sensory Fusion |
Recursive Reflection | Reflective Focus | Reflective Context | Reflective Halo | Reflective Horizon | Latent Recursive Focus | Synergistic Reflection | Cross-Sensory Recursion | Full Recursive Insight | Group Recursive Focus | Temporal Recursive Focus | Reflective Emotional Loop |
Intersubjective Resonance | Shared Focus | Group Context | Group Halo | Group Horizon | Latent Group Resonance | Synergistic Group Focus | Group Sensory Sync | Group Recursive Sync | Full Collective Resonance | Group Temporal Reflection | Group Emotional Sync |
Temporal Horizon Shift | Temporal Focus | Temporal Context | Temporal Halo | Temporal Horizon | Temporal-Latent Fusion | Temporal-Synergy Focus | Temporal-Sensory Fusion | Temporal Recursion | Group Temporal Focus | Full Temporal Layering | Temporal Emotional Rise |
Emotional Substrate | Emotional-Focused Theme | Emotional Context | Emotional Halo | Emotional Horizon | Latent Emotional Emergence | Emotional Synergy | Emotional-Sensory Integration | Emotional Reflection | Emotional Group Sync | Temporal Emotional Layering | Emotional Surge |
OTHER IMPORTANT FEATURES
ELEMENTS - inspired by Gurwitsch/Husserl
1. Formative and Formed Constituents (of a theme)
Definition:
Example: In a row of flowering roses, the first several flowers might be formative constituents, while the rest are formed constituents. In this example, the formative constituents are "thematic" proper i.e., salient & well defined. The formative constituents are salient but not well-defined, they are part of the theme but not properly thematic as such.
2. Independent and Dependent Parts:
Definition:
Example: In visual perception, a color patch on a surface might be a dependent part, while a distinct object on that surface could be an independent part.
This table integrates all 11 dimensions: the CORE 4 (Thematic Focus, Contextual Field, Halo, Horizon) and the 7 resulting dimensionalities (Latent Potentiality, Emergent Synergy, Cross-Modal Fusion, Recursive Reflection, Intersubjective Resonance, Temporal Horizon Shift, and Emotional Substrate).
The matrix captures different forms of dimensionality (shifts, transformations, re-structurings) across these dimensions, along with several examples for each shift type. Does not include Genesis/seeding, Fusion of Situations, Fission of Situations, etc.
From \ To | Thematic Focus | Contextual Field | Halo | Horizon | Latent Potentiality | Emergent Synergy | Cross-Modal Fusion | Recursive Reflection | Intersubjective Resonance | Temporal Horizon Shift | Emotional Substrate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thematic Focus | Restructuring (Shifting core content to a new form) | Synthesis (Theme becomes part of a broader context) | Theme to Halo (Focus recedes into periphery) | Obscuration (Focus fades into background) | Potential Activation (Subconscious theme emerges) | Synergy Formation (New insight arises from theme-context interaction) | Sensory Integration (Theme expands through other senses) | Focus-Looping (Iterative refinement of theme) | Shared Focus (Personal focus aligns with group) | Time Reflection (Memory or anticipation enters theme) | Emotional Inflection (Theme colored by emotion) |
Examples | Ambiguous images (duck-rabbit) | Understanding a specific word and integrating it into a sentence | An artist losing attention to the brush feel as they focus on color | A student's attention waning after a long lecture | A latent idea about a solution to a problem suddenly comes to mind | Realizing a new connection between brush strokes and color palette | A chef notices the sound of sizzling enhances the experience of plating a dish | A thinker reflects deeper on a philosophical concept with each pass | A student in a study group suddenly aligns their attention with others’ focus | A novelist weaves a story by recalling past plot points while hinting at future ones | A listener focusing on music starts feeling sadness from its melody |
Contextual Field | Singling Out (Contextual element becomes new theme) | Elucidation (Clarifying obscure elements in the context) | Context to Halo (Context shifts to potential relevance) | Contraction (Context shrinks, becoming irrelevant) | Latent Potential Emergence (Contextual detail triggers subconscious insight) | Context-Synergy (New insights form from context-theme fusion) | Multi-Sensory Focus (Adding contextual sound to visual experience) | Deepening Understanding (Reflection on context through recursive thinking) | Collective Context (Shared understanding of context within a group) | Temporal Layering (Past or future context colors current experience) | Affective Feedback (Context’s emotional tone shapes engagement) |
Examples | Noticing the smell of paint becomes the new theme for an artist | A detective sees a hidden clue in the environment during an investigation | A musician realizes the position of their instrument stand is now crucial to their performance | A teacher dismisses a contextual teaching aid as irrelevant to the lesson | Reading about a related field sparks an unrelated latent idea | A musician uses contextual lighting to enhance the auditory experience | The way a color contrasts with a background triggers emotional associations | A writer revisits research notes, deepening narrative context | A team recognizing the shared importance of a data set in a project | A philosopher anticipates future counterarguments to current ideas | An audience reacts emotionally to lighting changes in a theater production |
Halo | Halo to Theme (Peripheral elements become thematic focus) | Halo to Context (Peripheral element becomes relevant context) | Internal Halo Shifts (Movement within halo elements, but stays peripheral) | Halo to Horizon (Peripheral elements fade into background) | Latent Triggering (Peripheral elements activate subconscious insight) | Synergistic Trigger (Peripheral sensory data enhances theme-context synergy) | Sensory Extension (Peripheral sensory data becomes integrated) | Iterative Peripheral Focus (Revisiting peripheral attention for deeper insight) | Collective Halo (Peripheral group discussions create collective shifts) | Temporal Halo Activation (Peripheral elements tied to past/future become relevant) | Emotional Modulation (Peripheral sensory inputs shape emotional experience) |
Examples | The ticking clock becomes the main focus of attention | The sound of distant traffic becomes important when planning a quiet activity | The lighting in a room changes from a distraction to a soft enhancement | The background noise from the street becomes unnoticed after a while | A musician’s fleeting idea about composition is triggered by a random sound | The smell of the studio adds a new dimension to the painter’s work | The faint sound of a bassline enhances the experience of reading lyrics | Revisiting a peripheral thought enhances overall creative process | Background noise in a meeting subtly syncs everyone’s rhythm | A lecturer remembers a side anecdote that now becomes relevant | A speaker’s tone colors peripheral audience reactions, shaping the mood |
Horizon | Margin-to-Theme (Irrelevant elements become thematic focus) | Enlargement (Irrelevant elements become relevant in context) | Horizon to Halo (Irrelevant elements move into peripheral awareness) | Internal Horizon Shifts (Within the irrelevant space, some elements take new focus) | Unconscious Activation (Irrelevant elements trigger latent potential) | Synergistic Emergence (Horizon elements fuse to create new insight) | Cross-Sensory Activation (Unnoticed elements in the background trigger new perceptions) | Reflection Amplifies (Background elements become part of recursive focus) | Intersubjective Inclusion (Background elements create group connection) | Temporal Relevance (Elements from past/future horizons become important) | Emotional Shift (Previously unnoticed elements spark an emotional response) |
Examples | Suddenly noticing a fly buzzing becomes the main theme of focus | The wind in the background becomes important when deciding whether to go outside | The temperature of the room, previously unnoticed, becomes noticeable and uncomfortable | A student shifts focus to the rhythm of a classmate tapping on a desk in the back of the room | A fleeting memory from childhood pops up after hearing a phrase | Two seemingly unrelated conversations fuse into a new idea | The touch of a breeze suddenly connects to the emotional tone of a scene | A writer uses random background noises to loop back and enhance their description of setting | A group in a brainstorming session suddenly shares a background thought | A philosopher reflects on past ideas and anticipates future critique | A faint smell becomes linked to a sudden wave of nostalgia or sadness |
Latent Potentiality | Surfacing Theme (A subconscious thought rises into focus) | Latent to Context (Subconscious insight shapes contextual awareness) | Latent to Halo (Potential insights become peripheral, waiting for trigger) | Latent Triggering (Subconscious elements shift into relevance) | Latent Realization (Subconscious elements rise into full awareness) | Synergistic Awakening (Latent insight combines with context to create new understanding) | Latent Cross-Sensory (Subconscious insight activates through sensory input) | Latent Recursion (Subconscious elements cycle back to enhance focus) | Latent Resonance (Personal subconscious shifts match group focus) | Temporal Latency (Past subconscious insights merge with future anticipation) | Latent Emotions (Emotional undercurrents emerge into focus) |
Examples | A painter’s previously unnoticed technique idea surfaces in the middle of a session | An unexpected memory informs a decision-making process | A musician remembers an old melody fragment during a practice session | The smell of fresh paint triggers memories of past works | An unsolved math problem suddenly becomes clear after a long pause | The fusion of sensory data leads to new music being composed from previous ideas | The scent of pine trees triggers a visual scene from childhood | A philosopher’s subconscious reflections continually emerge during a writing process | A meeting sparks latent insights among participants, all sharing similar subconscious concerns | A mathematician solves a problem by suddenly recalling a past method | A faint sense of loss resurfaces during a mundane activity, colored by memories |
Emergent Synergy | Synergy-Driven Focus (Novel insight draws attention) | Context Emergence (Synergy generates new contextual relevance) | Synergy-Halo Activation (Synergistic elements move to peripheral attention) | Synergistic Horizon Activation (Background elements contribute to synergy) | Latent-Synergy Interaction (Synergy draws on previously latent elements) | Synergistic Creation (New creative insight or action emerges) | Cross-Modal Synergy (Sensory inputs fuse to generate a novel experience) | Recursive Synergy (Synergy emerges through recursive interaction between elements) | Group Synergy (Collective synergy creates alignment in group focus) | Temporal Synergy (Past/future elements create synergies within the present) | Emotional Synergy (Emotional responses converge to enhance experience) |
Examples | A sculptor finds a new form through the interaction between materials and tools | Two concepts from different disciplines combine to form a new idea in a research project | A previously unnoticed sound from nature blends with an artistic process | An idea in the background rises to spark a new insight in a group discussion | A memory of an unresolved issue sparks creative connections between new projects | The combination of sights, sounds, and textures leads to new artistic creation | The scent and feel of materials drive new emotions into the work | Reflections on an idea lead to new synergies in a writer’s thoughts | A team working on a project suddenly realizes a breakthrough from disparate inputs | A historical insight gives rise to a new, future-oriented strategy | The interplay of light and music during an emotional scene elevates the audience’s experience |
Cross-Modal Fusion | Cross-Modal Thematic Shift (Sensory inputs combine to become the new theme) | Context Fusion (Different sensory inputs combine in the context) | Halo to Sensory Focus (Peripheral sensory inputs become central) | Sensory Horizon (Sensory background inputs shift attention) | Latent Cross-Sensory Awakening (Subconscious sensory inputs emerge) | Synergistic Sensory Experience (Cross-modal elements create a new synergy) | Full Sensory Immersion (All senses integrate to form a coherent theme) | Cross-Sensory Reflection (Reflections on sensory data deepen understanding) | Sensory Resonance (Group shares a multi-sensory experience) | Temporal Sensory Awareness (Sensory inputs evoke past/future experiences) | Emotional-Sensory Integration (Sensory inputs generate an emotional response) |
Examples | A painter's tactile experience of brushwork merges with visual perception to create a new focus | A musician feels the vibrations of their instrument combining with the sound to shape their performance | The sound of wind outside suddenly influences the painter's perception of color | The smell of food cooking in the background adds depth to the perception of the room | The smell of freshly baked bread triggers forgotten memories of childhood kitchens | The sound of footsteps combines with the lighting to create an immersive film experience | A dancer moves in response to both visual cues and the sound of music, fully integrating both | Reflecting on both the texture and taste of food deepens a culinary artist's understanding | A group of musicians sync their movements and sounds, creating shared sensory resonance | The feel of the cold air reminds someone of winters past, shaping the current moment | The warmth of the sun during a walk leads to an overwhelming sense of calm and nostalgia |
Recursive Reflection | Iterative Focus Enhancement (Continual reflection refines thematic focus) | Contextual Reflection (Deeper context emerges through recursive reflection) | Halo Reflection (Peripheral elements are revisited through reflection) | Horizon Reflection (Background elements return through reflection) | Latent Recursion (Subconscious insights return in recursive cycles) | Synergistic Recursion (Reflecting on synergies generates new ideas) | Cross-Sensory Recursion (Recursive reflections integrate sensory inputs) | Full Recursive Insight (Recursive loops produce a new, integrated understanding) | Group Reflection (Group focus shifts through collective recursive thinking) | Temporal Recursion (Past experiences resurface through reflection) | Emotional Recursion (Revisiting past emotional experiences shapes current feelings) |
Examples | A philosopher repeatedly revisits a central idea, refining it with each pass | A writer cycles between chapters and notes, deepening narrative structure | A painter’s focus returns to a previously ignored brushstroke that now enhances the painting | A background detail in a painting becomes more important after multiple reflections | A latent memory resurfaces in recursive loops during creative work | Revisiting past ideas and synergies leads to a breakthrough in a project | A cook re-tastes a dish and, through sensory reflection, creates a more refined flavor | A composer cycles through old musical themes, deepening the current composition | A team revisits old meeting notes, generating new ideas through collective reflection | A scientist revisits old experiments, discovering new implications | An artist returns to an old emotional memory, giving it new life in current work |
Intersubjective Resonance | Group-Driven Focus (Collective attention draws individual focus) | Group Context (Collective relevance enhances contextual understanding) | Halo Resonance (Peripheral elements sync across group members) | Horizon Resonance (Background elements of group focus sync together) | Latent Resonance (Subconscious group alignment surfaces) | Synergistic Group Insight (Group synergy leads to a collective breakthrough) | Sensory Resonance (Shared sensory experience creates a collective focus) | Recursive Group Reflection (The group deepens understanding through shared recursive thinking) | Full Collective Focus (The group reaches total synchronization in focus) | Temporal Group Reflection (The group collectively reflects on past/future insights) | Emotional Synchronization (The group aligns emotionally, amplifying collective experience) |
Examples | A team’s collective focus pulls in a previously disinterested member | A shared document provides context that everyone in a group builds upon | The room’s lighting syncs with everyone’s mood in a meeting | The background music in a team workspace helps align everyone's flow | A shared joke in a conversation leads to a deeper group bond | A research team combines individual findings into a breakthrough insight | A live concert creates a synchronized emotional and sensory experience across the audience | A classroom discussion deepens when students reflect on one another's ideas | A research group reaches a eureka moment when everyone’s thoughts converge | A debate leads to new shared understanding through collective reflection on past points | A movie-watching experience triggers collective laughter and sadness at key emotional points |
Temporal Horizon Shift | Temporal Focus Shift (Past or future becomes the thematic focus) | Temporal Contextualization (Past/future contextual elements reshape present focus) | Temporal Halo Activation (Past or future elements shift into peripheral awareness) | Temporal Horizon Reflection (Past/future elements become background context) | Latent Temporal Shift (Subconscious temporal shifts influence focus) | Temporal Synergy (Past and future elements fuse into a new present insight) | Temporal-Sensory Integration (Sensory inputs evoke past/future memories) | Temporal Reflection (Time-based reflection deepens understanding of the theme) | Group Temporal Reflection (Shared past experiences guide collective focus) | Full Temporal Recursion (Past and future layers resurface repeatedly) | Temporal Emotion (Past or anticipated emotions color the present moment) |
Examples | A historian suddenly focuses on a past event in the middle of a present discussion | A movie plot twists when characters’ past experiences suddenly become relevant | A lingering sense of future deadlines hovers in the background during a task | A novelist begins thinking of future plot points while writing current chapters | A mathematician recalls past failed attempts while solving a new equation | A student combines past lessons with future exam expectations to prepare a strategy | The smell of lavender triggers memories of childhood while anticipating a relaxing future | A scientist cycles through past and future experimental designs in iterative reflection | A project team collectively reflects on past successes while planning future goals | A musician revisits past melodies while hinting at future compositions | A person feeling nostalgic for the past experiences an overlay of past emotions in the present |
Emotional Substrate | Emotional Focus Shift (Emotions drive thematic focus) | Emotional Context (Emotion shapes how contextual elements are perceived) | Emotional Halo Shift (Peripheral emotions subtly influence focus) | Emotional Background (Emotions remain in the background, shaping the experience) | Latent Emotional Emergence (Subconscious emotions rise to influence experience) | Emotional Synergy (Emotions combine with context to create new affective insight) | Emotional-Sensory Fusion (Emotions shape sensory experience) | Recursive Emotional Reflection (Emotional layers resurface during reflection) | Group Emotional Alignment (Emotions align across a group) | Temporal Emotional Reflection (Emotions from past or anticipated future experiences color the present) | Emotional Surge (Strong emotional responses shift the entire experience) |
Examples | A person's feeling of sadness shifts their entire focus to a sad memory | A painter’s emotional state affects how they perceive light and color on the canvas | A faint sense of nostalgia in the background colors the work without becoming central | Anger stays in the background but influences how a speaker emphasizes certain points | A student’s buried anxiety surfaces during a difficult exam | Emotional responses from a musical performance combine with visual stimuli to elevate the experience | The warmth of the sun feels more profound because of a person's inner happiness | Reflecting on an old argument brings back emotional layers that change current understanding | A group experiencing a collective grief process finds mutual emotional support | Reflecting on past emotional traumas influences future behavior in subtle ways | A writer feels a sudden wave of joy from recalling past accomplishments, which shapes their current work |
^((MINIMAL DESCRIPTIONS (of the above)************)
^(Contextual Shifts:)
^(Enlargement: Thematic context grows.)
^(Contraction: Thematic context narrows.)
^(Elucidation: Thematic context becomes clearer.)
^(Obscuration: Thematic context is repressed or obscured.)
^(Context Replacement: One context replaces another without changing the theme.)
^(Simple Thematic Shifts:)
^(Serial-Shifting: Sequential attention where each theme retains its identity.)
^(Radical Thematic Shifts:)
^(Restructuring: Fundamental change in thematic configuration.)
^(Singling Out: A constituent becomes the new theme.)
^(Synthesis: Separate themes integrate into a new whole.)
^(Margin-to-Theme Capture:)
^(Attention Capture: Previously marginal content becomes thematically relevant.))
The Structural Situativity Approach (SSA) integrates 11 dimensions of situativity (so far), offering a (potentially, virtually) comprehensive model for understanding the structure of situations / situatedness, and captures how the core dimensions of our situated existence (we're always in a situation, the body as a situation generator, world as the situation of situations) interact, come into being, seed new, transition, fuse, fiss and otherwise change.
Futurue Direction of Research:
There are many. I note one particularly intriguing possibility here:
The margin (more specifically the halo) of marginal consciousness is the condition for the possibility of an existential locus of subjectivity. Why?
Gurwitsch writes:
"Because at every moment of conscious life [no matter our present attitude or thematic-context] we are aware of a certain segment of the stream of consciousness, of our embodied existence, and of the perceptual world -- the belief in the existence of this world and the apprehension of ourselves as pertaining to it as mundane existents -- are permanently present to consciousness.”
Without the kind of presence unique to these three "ordering dimensions" of existence, the unity of being-in-the-world dissolves as confirmed by reports given by individuals in the most extraordinary experiences, e.g., the DMT experience. In this case, situativity is absolutized, it is absolved from relations to the surrounding world & ceases to fit into any 'umwelt'. This is an excellent direction for research.
The purpose of this Reddit post is to create a place to investigate & explore the Structural Situativity Approach to human existence....
Structural Situativity Approach (SSA)
The Structural Situativity Approach (SSA) builds on my earlier Existential Situation Structure (ESS) and S. Arvidson's Sphere of Attention (inspired by A. Gurwitsch), but expands it significantly to integrate deeper phenomenological, attentional, and emotional structures. It introduces various transformations within attention and situativity, focusing on both subtle and radical shifts in human engagement with the world...
A.1 CORE DIMENSIONS: THEME, CONTEXT, MARGIN (PRINCIPLES OF DIMENSIONAL OF ORGANIZATION)
THEME
CONTEXT
MARGIN
A.2 DIMENSIONALITIES: Products of interaction between Dimensions of Organization
B. TRANSFORMATIONS OF SITUATIVITY (PRINCIPLES OF DIMENSIONAL TRANSFORMATION)
See Aron Gurwitsch's "thematic modifications"....
I. SITUATION-TRANSFORMATIONS / CONTEXT STRUCTURZATIONS / THEMATIC SHIFTS
These involve changes in the thematic context while the theme remains essentially unchanged. These shifts keep the theme stable while changing the relevance or significance of the context around it.
II. Simple Thematic Shifts (Serial-Shifting)
These involve sequential shifts from one theme to another, where the content remains serially related. A straightforward change in the thematic focus.
III. Radical Thematic Shifts
More substantial transformations of the theme itself.
IV. Margin-to-Theme Capture
When content from the margin (previously irrelevant) becomes the new theme, replacing the previous focus
For more, see part 2/2
Do you guys think the transcendentals Good, true, and beautiful correspond to the three acts of the mind (i.e. Concepts, judgments, and reasoning)?
So, Concepts-good, Judgements-true Reasoning-beautiful
And what is your experience of entering into these conceptually and receiving feedback?
Seems in experience that I feel some layers of emotions to these things:
I will feel good when a topic gets generally on something concept-wise to behold
I will feel good too when I am able to receive a truth someone states in judgment too.
I will not really feel great great until I can really run through the whole form from those beginnings and reason a picture that connects everything to “the totality of being” or maybe could be framed as “God in the formal sense?”, but I really get a really really good feeling with this because i think it captures a part of God or something and the senses are taken away by the beauty seen within?
I am not saying these good feelings are to be chased as far as for no purpose (i think that would not be healthy in regards to practicality), but they are useful in the sense that I seem to necessarily need them for daily inspiration in order to keep spiritually connected and assured in life in face of reality.
Could you suggest me a journal where to publish my first article, in order to have a publication before applying to a PhD Programme? It must accept articles from MA students and It can be dedicated to aesthetics/phenomenology/philosophy of literature. I work on phenomenology of literature. I know italian, english and german so feel free to share tips on an international level.
Sartre's quote is often interpreted as a critique of interpersonal relationships. But could it also be about how we internalize the gaze of others and become our own worst critics? How do we navigate the tension between how we see ourselves and how we imagine others see us?
In Ideas I (Routledge version), in two different places, the first in the chapter "Consciousness and Natural Reality", section 43 "Light on a Fundamental Error" and the second in the chapter "Grades of Generality in the Ordering of the Problems of the Theoretic Reason", section 150 "Continuation. The Thing-Region as Transcendental Clue", Husserl suggests that the perception of spatial objects is necessarily perspectival, not just for humans, but for any mind, even God's. In "Light on a Fundamental Error", he bases that view on the idea that, to be otherwise would mean that the object itself would have to be an experience, an immanent object of divine consciousness, not a transcendent object. However, that doesn't seem convincing to me, because for minds that are not confined by three-dimensional spatial positionality or even more so by sensuous perceptual access to transcendent reality, I don't see any reason as to why the transcendence of the object would necessarily involve perspectivity in the perception of it, at least in our understanding of the term. Did he ever revise or retract this claim in later works? From his later works, I have read parts of Experience and Judgement (underrated work of his in my opinion) and parts of Analyses Concerning Passive and Active Synthesis, where he does reference the perspectivity of human perception, without making the claim that it is a necessary element of the givenness of spatial objects.
Hi! I’m a philosophy major currently doing a gender studies minor. For a critical reflection paper that combines both fields, I want to look at approaches to feminist thought (as broad as it gets, gender, sexuality, oppression etc.) from a phenomenological perspective . I’m considering Merleau-Ponty as an entry, given the significance he ascribes to the role of the body. But any suggestions and recommendations on thinkers and literature are very much welcome!
This identity is what I get out of Heidegger, but I am a mere biologist. Discuss, perhaps.
From a philosophical standpoint, how might the integration of phenomenology with psychology challenge existing assumptions about mental health practice? What new philosophical questions or debates does this integration raise about the nature of mental illness?
For you, what are the ethical implications of integrating phenomenological approaches with psychology? How might this integration affect issues of patient autonomy, informed consent, and the therapeutic relationship?
I come from what you’d call a phenomenological Thomist background. While I appreciate Aristotelian metaphysics, I find them deeply lacking when it comes to technology, especially information technology.
What is a web app? Is it a substance on its own? Is it an accident on the hardware? How so?
This is the kind of questions that are leading me back to Husserl and later phenomenologists. Any text suggestion is appreciated!
Hi all. I am currently working with the translation of Dorion Cairns to Husserl's Cartesian Medtiations. Though it is a reasonably clear one (and no doubt precise enough) I wonder if there are better translations which will be preferable to my students.
Thanks!
I’ve been listening to it on YouTube—although I know that he is super controversial. I had to…take a serious pause after hearing the following:
People have become the contemplators of television, they have learned how to switch channels better and faster. Many of them don’t stop at all, they click the remote control and it’s already not important what is on TV – is it actors or news. The spectators of Postmodernity don’t understand anything at all in principle of what is going on. It’s just a stream of impressive pictures. The spectator gets used to microprocesses, he becomes a “subspectator” that watches not the channels or programmes but separate segments, the sequences of programs. In this case the ideal movie is “Spy Kids 2” by Rodriguez. It is made up like there is no any sense. But it is possible to be distracted from this fact because as soon as our consciousness is bothered with it, at the same instant appears a flying pig and we are bounded to watch where is it flying. And likewise when the flying pig bothers us the next moment a little dragon comes out from a pocket of the main character. This work of Rodriguez is perfect.
[I used the Discussion flair because I'd be glad to discuss the paper that I also link to. The link goes to a barebones no-ad Github site that I use to host my writings.]
I spent most of my waking hours today trying to synthesize my primary influences, mostly Husserl and Heidegger, but also Brandom. And then there's Feuerbach, who straddles between them. Lots of talk about phenomenalism too, with a focus on its "nondual" breakthrough, which was continued and greatly enriched IMO by Husserl and Heidegger and MP, etc.
If anyone else out there is writing philosophy/phenomenology (and is willing to share their work), I'd be curious to see how others are going about it.
I’m interested in learning more about phenomenology of law. Specifically, I’m interested in it from a more ontological angle, as it seems that most legal phenomenology I’ve found on the internet tends toward being more ontic.
I recall hearing at one point that Husserl had designated many of his students to study phenomenology in particular academic fields, and I believe law was one such field. Maybe that student’s work is a good place to start?
In undergrad, I mostly studied Heidegger, and would be most interested in legal phenomenology coming out of that tradition more than some others.
But in short, if you have any reading suggestions, I’d be happy to hear your input!
I hope you're all well. I've read §9 of LI1 a few times, & I'm not at all confident I'm getting Husserl's meaning. When you speak to me, is a meaning-intention the meaning in your consciousness that motivates your act of expression? Is the meaning-conferring act the event thru which I receive consciousness of the meaning of that expression? Or is meaning-intention my consciousness of some meaning in your expression (which allows me to understand it as expression, rather than noise) (logically) prior to receipt of the specific meaning? Or are these terms doing something else entirely? Much thanks for any help.