Edmund Husserl (years of life - 1859-1938) - a famous German philosopher who is considered the founder of a whole philosophical movement - phenomenology. Thanks to numerous works and teaching activities, he had a great influence both on German philosophy and on the development of this science in many other countries. Edmund Husserl contributed to the emergence and development of existentialism. Phenomenology is what Husserl's main work is about. What is it? Let's find out.
What is phenomenology?
From the very beginning, phenomenology was formed as a broad movement in philosophy, and not as a closed school. Therefore, already in the early period, tendencies appear in it that cannot be reduced to the work of Husserl. However, the main role in the development of phenomenology was played by the work of this particular scientist. His work en titled "Logical Investigations" is especially important. Phenomenology as a trend has become particularly widespread throughout Europe, as well as in America. In addition, it was developed in Japan, Australiaand in several Asian countries.
The starting point of this philosophical doctrine is the possibility of discovering and describing the (intentional) life of consciousness directed at the object. An important feature of the method of phenomenology is the rejection of any unclear presuppositions. In addition, representatives of this doctrine proceed from the idea of irreducibility (mutual irreducibility) and at the same time the inseparability of the objective world (spiritual culture, society, nature) and consciousness.
Teaching at universities, communication with scientists
The future philosopher was born on April 8, 1859 in Moravia (Prosnica). He studied at the Vienna and Berlin universities. Interestingly, Edmund Husserl, whose philosophy is known throughout the world, first wanted to become a mathematician. However, T. Masaryk decided to bring him to the courses of F. Brentano, a psychologist and philosopher. Communication with him, and then with another psychologist, K. Stumpf, contributed to the development of Edmund's interest in the study of thought processes. The future philosopher is indebted to Brentano for the concept of intention, which means the direction of consciousness. Husserl later said that Brentano did not see the problems of "intentionality" in relation to the foundations of knowledge and the formation of structures of experience.
Other thinkers who influenced Edmund in the early period are the English empiricists (especially J. S. Mill), W. James and G. W. Leibniz. Kant's theory of knowledge had a significant impact on the philosopher already in the later period of the development of his views.
Husserl's first work
Edmund Husserl (his photo is presented above) believed that the main task was defined by him in his first work called "Philosophy of Arithmetic". In this work, for the first time, two main subjects of his interest were combined. On the one hand, this is formal logic and mathematics, and on the other, psychology. The philosopher had to face certain difficulties. G. Frege revealed some of them in a critical analysis of this work by Husserl. These difficulties forced Edmund to carry out a general study of the specific activity and structure of "conscious experience." The final chapter of the book is devoted to the instant "grasping" of various characteristic forms, such as a flock of birds or a line of soldiers. Husserl can thus be called the forerunner of Gest alt psychology.
Four groups of works by Edmund Husserl
The same ideas run through all the works of this philosopher, but his views have changed significantly over time. All his works can be divided into the following four groups:
- Related to the period of "psychologism".
- "Descriptive Psychology".
- Transcendental phenomenology, which was first expounded by Husserl in 1913.
- Works relating to the later period of the philosopher's life.
Work "Logical Research"
The most famous work of Husserl is the work "Logical Investigations". It was published in 1900-1901, and in the Russian editionfirst published in 1909. The author himself considered this work as "clearing the way" for such a direction as phenomenology. "Prolegomena to Pure Logic" is the first volume in which a critique of the concept of psychologism, which was influential at the time, is given. According to this view, the fundamental principles and concepts of logic should be given in terms of psychology. "The Idea of Pure Logic" is the last chapter where Husserl presented his formal logic. This direction is emancipated from psychology. The author insists that it is meaningless to attribute to it the sphere of pure logic. The second volume presents 6 studies on the structure and meaning of experience. The former interest in the forms of experience led to the study of the so-called categorical intuition of a philosopher like Edmund Husserl.
Husserl's Phenomenology
The next significant period in creativity begins with Husserl's lectures "The Idea of Phenomenology". Husserl's transition to a new type of idealism was of great importance. For this purpose, he proposed a special method called phenomenological reduction. A necessary preliminary stage in designating the field of perceptions and finding some kind of "absolute" foundation for all philosophy is the era, that is, the abstinence from any beliefs and judgments. Phenomenology is thus concerned with the search for entities as well as essential relationships.
Opposition to naturalism
Considering the works of Husserl, one can see that they are in opposition to naturalism. In particular, this is noticeable in the 1911 essay"Philosophy as a rigorous science". For Husserl, this opposition was one of the most effective motives. Edmund Husserl believed that considered "transcendentally" or purely reflexively descriptive science of experience should provide philosophy with a certain "radical" beginning, which is free from any presuppositions. In subsequent volumes of Husserl's Ideas (published posthumously) and in his other works, a program of "constitutive" phenomenology was developed. Edmund saw its goal in the formation of a new idealistic philosophy.
Works on logic and analysis of consciousness processes
Husserl's genius is especially striking in the following two areas: in a descriptive analysis of various processes of consciousness, including the experience of consciousness of time; and also in the philosophy of logic. The works on the logic of the mature period are as follows: Experience and Judgment (1939) and Formal and Transcendental Logic (1929). The consciousness of time is investigated by Husserl in "Lectures on the Phenomenology of the Inner Consciousness of Time" (1928) and in some other works relating to various periods of creativity. In 1931, Edmund Husserl created the "Cartesian Meditations", which set out in detail many of the problems of knowing and experiencing people's consciousness.
Alternative directions in phenomenology
It must be said that many former colleagues and students of Husserl also developed phenomenology, but in alternativedirections. In particular, M. Scheler was interested in religion and built his phenomenological concept on this basis. M. Heidegger, who is one of the founders of existentialism, was at first a student of Husserl. After some time, he carried out a revision of phenomenology associated with the concepts of "existence" and "being". Husserl, confident in the potential of his own theory, criticized Heidegger's position.
The last years of Husserl's life and death
Edmund Husserl, abandoned by his students, did not easily endure the ill he alth that appeared in him in the last years of his life. The later period was completed by Husserl's Crisis of European Sciences, created in 1936 and published in 1954. In it, the philosopher proposed the concept of the life world, which became very famous.
Husserl died on April 26, 1938 in Freiburg im Breisgau. After his death, about 11 thousand pages of notes and unpublished works remained. Fortunately, they were saved. They were transported to Belgium (Leuven), where work continues today on their publication, which began back in 1950 (the "Husserlian" series).
Edmund Husserl quotes
Many of Husserl's quotes are worthy of attention, but many of them require a deeper acquaintance with his philosophy. Therefore, we have selected the simplest, those that are clear to everyone. Edmund Husserl, whose main works were presented above, is the author of the following statements:
- "This world is not the same for everyone".
- "The relativity of truth entails the relativity of the existence of the world."
- "The beginning is a pure and, so to speak, still mute experience."
To this day, interest in such a direction as the phenomenological philosophy of Edmund Husserl does not subside. The life world, the epoch and the most important problems of all times - all this is reflected in his writings. Of course, Husserl can be considered a great philosopher. Many of his students and collaborators have now faded into the shadows, and Husserl's works are still being consulted. The ideas of this philosopher are still relevant, which indicates their large scale.
So, you have met such an interesting thinker as Edmund Husserl. A brief biography of him, of course, gives only a superficial idea of his philosophy. In order to deeply understand his ideas, one should turn to the works of Husserl.
