Single Idea 21237

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 2. Phenomenology]

Full Idea

Traditional philosophy often started with abstract axioms or theories, but the German phenomenologists went straight for life as they experienced it, moment to moment.

Gist of Idea

Phenomenology begins from the immediate, rather than from axioms and theories

Source

Sarah Bakewell (At the Existentialist Café [2016], 01)

Book Reference

Bakewell,Sarah: 'At the Existentialist Café' [Chatto and Windus 2016], p.2


A Reaction

Bakewell gives this as the gist of what Aron said to Sartre in 1933, providing the bridge from phenomenology to existentialism. The obvious thought is that everybody outside philosophy starts from immediate experience, so why is this philosophy?