Phenomenology's Founding Problem
A peculiar problem that is distinctive of phenomenology arises on the analysis of both intentionality and perception. In these two phenomenological analysis, we arrive at a special view on our experience of the world.
The phenomenological analysis of intentionality reveals to us that our consciousness is always directed toward something else other than consciousness itself. It is always intended towards objects. Consciousness is always a consciousness of something. There is no consciousness without having a given intentionality. Furthermore, in perceptual analysis, we realize that perceptual intentionality views objects of the world or the world itself always in a perspective at every given instance of experience. This is how the world presents itself to us - always in a particular perspective. Or, this is how we are capable of viewing the world. We cannot have a view without having a particular perspective.
Now the problem that arises from the abovementioned analyses is on the ability of consciousness to go beyond what is presented in perceptual intentionality. Our consciousness transcends what is given in perception. It does not only intend the particular perceptual intentionality at hand but also that which goes beyond it. To make this clear, an example will be useful. Let us consider an experience of drinking a cup of coffee. Imagine you are sitting on a chair that is situated at a relatively short distance from the table where your cup is on - allowing you to grab the cup easily when you need to. In intentional analysis, it tells us that our consciousness is intended towards this particular experience - that you are aware of the experience of drinking a cup of coffee. Then, in perceptual analysis, our intentionality that is directed to our experience of drinking a cup of coffee is always given in a particular perspective. This means that you are seeing the cup of coffee - as well as, the table, and even the chair that you are sitting on - in a certain angle or perspective. Unless you change your position, the particular perspective that you are having on your experience will not change. Depending on your given position, you may only be viewing the front of the cup and not the back. You may also be viewing only the top of the table and not the bottom. And, maybe only the side of your chair and not its legs. All of these particular views of each object around you constitute your whole perceptual intentionality.
Now, going back to the problem that we mentioned awhile back, it arises, for example, when you try to grab the cup of coffee that is in front of you. You may only be perceptual intending the front of the cup. However, you may be able to automatically grab the handle on the back of it, despite not seeing it in your current perspective. This particular instance, provides us the question on how our consciousness is able to transcend our perspective of the cup - the perspective of only seeing the front. And, being able to be aware of what is probably on the back of the cup - the handle. It seems that, our consciousness is at once aware of the whole of the object despite being limited by the perception of it. Phenomenology's task, at its fundamental level, is to account for such a possibility for consciousness. And on this problem, phenomenologists differ in their answers. The history of the development of phenomenology tells us how the major figures in phenomenology tried to answer such problem differently.
Please let me know what you think about this blog in the comment section below. If, you have questions, don’t hesitate to comment them too. Let us discuss deeper and share insights about this blog.
0 Comments