Who is Husserl, Edmund in Philosophy

Husserl, Edmund (1859-1938), was a German philosopher known as the founder of phenomenology, a philosophical current that seeks to describe and analyze conscious experience in a direct and immediate way. Born in Prossnitz, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic), Husserl studied mathematics and philosophy in Vienna and Berlin, where he became a disciple of Franz Brentano, one of the main representatives of the Brentano psychological school.

Husserl's Phenomenology

Husserl's phenomenology is a philosophical approach that seeks to understand the essence of things through the description and analysis of conscious experience. For Husserl, consciousness is the starting point for knowledge and understanding of the world. He believed that consciousness is intentional, that is, it is always directed towards something, and that conscious experience is constituted by intentional acts that can be analyzed and described precisely.

The Phenomenological Reduction

One of the key concepts of Husserl's phenomenology is phenomenological reduction, a method that seeks to suspend the prejudices and assumptions of common sense to achieve a pure and impartial description of conscious experience. Through phenomenological reduction, Husserl sought to reach an essential understanding of things, beyond subjective interpretations and previous concepts.

The Intentionality of Consciousness

Another fundamental concept in Husserl's phenomenology is the intentionality of consciousness. For Husserl, consciousness is always directed towards something, be it a physical object, an idea, an emotion or anything else. Intentionality is what allows consciousness to relate to the world and give meaning to experiences. Through the analysis of intentionality, Husserl sought to understand how consciousness relates to the world and how the world presents itself to consciousness.

The Epoché

One of the methods used by Husserl to achieve phenomenological reduction is epoché, which consists of suspending previous judgments and beliefs to open oneself to pure experience. Through epoché, Husserl sought to achieve an impartial description of conscious experience, without the influence of prejudices and common sense assumptions.

Noese and Noema

Husserl also developed the concepts of noese and noema to describe the structure of conscious experience. Noesis refers to the intentional act of consciousness, while noema refers to the intentional object of consciousness. By analyzing the relationship between noesis and noema, Husserl sought to understand how consciousness relates to the world and how the world presents itself to consciousness.

The European Science Crisis

At the end of his life, Husserl was concerned about the crisis in European sciences and sought to develop a new foundation for scientific knowledge. He believed that modern science had lost sight of conscious experience and had become overly objective, neglecting the subjectivity and intentionality of consciousness. Husserl proposed a new philosophical approach that sought to reintegrate subjectivity and objectivity, conscious experience and scientific knowledge.

Husserl's Influence

Husserl's phenomenology exerted a great influence on XNUMXth century philosophy. His concepts and methods were developed and improved by his disciples, such as Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and influenced several areas of knowledge, such as psychology, sociology and anthropology. Phenomenology has also had a significant impact on the philosophy of mind and philosophy of language, contributing to the development of new approaches and theories.

Husserl's legacy

Husserl's legacy in philosophy is marked by his search for an essential understanding of conscious experience and his critique of the excessive objectivity of modern science. His phenomenology influenced generations of philosophers and continues to be an object of study and debate to this day. Husserl left a rich philosophical legacy that invites us to reflect on the nature of consciousness, the relationship between subject and object, and the role of experience in the construction of knowledge.