Edmund Husserl (years of life - 1859-1938) is a famous German philosopher who is considered the founder of a whole philosophical movement - phenomenology. Thanks to numerous works and teaching, 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 establishment of existentialism. Phenomenology is what Husserl's main works are related to. What is it? Let's figure it 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, trends appear in it that cannot be reduced to Husserl's work. However, the works of this particular scientist played the main role in the formation of phenomenology. Of particular importance is his work entitled "Logical Research." Phenomenology as a direction has become especially widespread throughout Europe, as well as in America. In addition, it was developed in Japan, Australia and in several Asian countries.
The starting point of this philosophical doctrine is the possibility of detecting, as well as describing, the object-oriented (intentional) life of consciousness. An important feature of the methodology of phenomenology is the rejection of any unexplained premises. In addition, representatives of this teaching proceed from the idea of irreducibility (mutual irreducibility) and at the same time the continuity of the objective world (spiritual culture, society, nature) and consciousness.
University studies, communication with scientists
The future philosopher was born on April 8, 1859 in Moravia (Prosnitz). He studied at 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, 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 owes Brentano the concept of intention, which means the direction of consciousness. Husserl subsequently 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.V. Leibniz. Kant's theory of knowledge had a significant impact on the philosopher already at a later period in the development of his views.
Husserl's first work
Edmund Husserl (his photo is presented above) believed that the main task was determined by him in his first work under the title "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 of Husserl. These difficulties led 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 instantly "grasping" various characteristic forms, such as a flock of birds or a line of soldiers. Husserl, therefore, can be called the forerunner of gestalt psychology.
The Four Groups of Edmund Husserl
The same ideas go through all the work of this philosopher, but his views have undergone significant changes over time. All his works can be divided into the following four groups:
- Relating to the period of "psychologism."
- "Descriptive Psychology."
- Transcendental phenomenology, which was first set forth by Husserl in 1913.
- Works related to the late period of the philosopher's life.
Work "Logical research"
Husserl's most famous work is the work of "Logical Research." It was published in the years 1900-1901, and in the Russian edition first came out in 1909. The author himself regarded this work as a "clearing of the path" for such a direction as phenomenology. “Prolegomena to pure logic” is the first volume in which criticism of the concept of psychologism, influential at that 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 pointless to attribute the sphere of pure logic to it. The second volume presents 6 studies of the structure and significance of experience. The former interest in the forms of experience led to the study of the so-called categorical intuition of such a philosopher as Edmund Husserl.
Husserl Phenomenology
The next significant period in the work begins with Husserl's lectures, The Idea of Phenomenology. Of great importance was Husserl's transition to a new type of idealism. For this purpose, he proposed a special method called phenomenological reduction. The necessary preliminary step in designating the field of perceptions and finding some “absolute” foundation for the whole philosophy is the era, that is, abstinence from any beliefs and judgments. Phenomenology, therefore, is engaged in the search for essences, as well as essential relationships.
Opposition to naturalism
Looking at Husserl’s works, one can see that they are in opposition to naturalism. In particular, this is noticeable in the 1911 essay Philosophy as a Strict Science. For Husserl, this confrontation was one of the most powerful motives. Edmund Husserl believed that the descriptive science of experience considered "transcendentally" or purely reflexively should provide philosophy with a kind of "radical" principle, which is free from any premises. In the subsequent volumes of Husserl's “Ideas” (published posthumously) and in his other works, a program of “constitutive” phenomenology was launched. Edmund saw her goal in the formation of a new idealistic philosophy.
Work on the logic and analysis of processes of consciousness
Husserl’s genius is particularly striking in the following two areas: in the descriptive analysis of various processes of consciousness, including the experience of time consciousness; as well as 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). Husserl explores the consciousness of time in Lectures on the Phenomenology of the Internal Consciousness of Time (1928) and in some other works relating to different periods of creativity. In 1931, Edmund Husserl created the “Cartesian Meditations,” which detailed many of the problems of cognition and the experience of people's consciousness.
Alternative directions of phenomenology
It must be said that many of Husserl's former colleagues and students also developed phenomenology, but in alternative directions. In particular, M. Scheler was interested in religion and built on this basis his phenomenological concept. M. Heidegger, who is one of the founders of existentialism, was first a student of Husserl. After some time, he carried out a revision of phenomenology related to the concepts of "existence" and "being." Husserl, confident in the potential of his own theory, criticized Heidegger's position.
The last years of life and the death of Husserl
Edmund Husserl, abandoned by his students, did not easily endure the ill health that appeared in his last years of his life. The late period was completed by Husserl's work “The Crisis of European Sciences”, created in 1936 and published in 1954. In it, the philosopher proposed the concept of a life world that has become 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 on their publication, which began as early as 1950 (the Husserlian series ), continues today.
Edmund Husserl Quotes
Many of Husserl’s quotes are noteworthy, but many require a deeper understanding of 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 immersed in dumb experience."
To this day, interest in such a direction as the phenomenological philosophy of Edmund Husserl has not ceased. The life world, era and the most important problems of all time are all reflected in his writings. Of course, Husserl can be considered a great philosopher. Many of his students and staff have already faded into the shadows today, and Husserl’s writings are still being addressed. The ideas of this philosopher are still relevant, which indicates their large scale.
So, you met such an interesting thinker as Edmund Husserl. His brief biography, 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.