Ideas of Edmund Husserl, by Theme

[German, 1859 - 1938, Born at Prossnitz. Pupil of Brentano. Professor at the University of Freiburg.]

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1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 2. Phenomenology
If phenomenology is deprived of the synthetic a priori, it is reduced to literature [Benardete,JA]
Phenomenology is the science of essences - necessary universal structures for art, representation etc. [Polt]
Bracketing subtracts entailments about external reality from beliefs [Putnam]
Phenomenology aims to describe experience directly, rather than by its origins or causes [Mautner]
Phenomenology studies different types of correlation between consciousness and its objects [Bernet]
Phenomenology needs absolute reflection, without presuppositions
There can only be a science of fluctuating consciousness if it focuses on stable essences [Bernet]
Phenomenology aims to validate objects, on the basis of intentional intuitive experience [Bernet]
Husserl saw transcendental phenomenology as idealist, in its construction of objects [Bernet]
Start philosophising with no preconceptions, from the intuitively non-theoretical self-given
Epoché or 'bracketing' is refraining from judgement, even when some truths are certain
'Bracketing' means no judgements at all about spatio-temporal existence
After everything is bracketed, consciousness still has a unique being of its own
Phenomenology describes consciousness, in the light of pure experiences
2. Reason / D. Definition / 13. Against Definition
The use of mathematical-style definitions in philosophy is fruitless and harmful
5. Theory of Logic / C. Ontology of Logic / 1. Ontology of Logic
Logicians presuppose a world, and ignore logic/world connections, so their logic is impure [Velarde-Mayol]
Phenomenology grounds logic in subjective experience [Velarde-Mayol]
6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / l. Zero
0 is not a number, as it answers 'how many?' negatively [Dummett]
6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 4. Using Numbers / a. Units
Multiplicity in general is just one and one and one, etc.
6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 4. Using Numbers / e. Counting by correlation
Husserl said counting is more basic than Frege's one-one correspondence [Heck]
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 1. Foundations for Mathematics
Pure mathematics is the relations between all possible objects, and is thus formal ontology [Velarde-Mayol]
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / a. Nature of Being
Our goal is to reveal a new hidden region of Being
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / h. Dasein (being human)
As a thing and its perception are separated, two modes of Being emerge
7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 6. Fundamentals / c. Monads
Husserl sees the ego as a monad, unifying presence, sense and intentional acts [Velarde-Mayol]
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality
The World is all experiencable objects
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 4. Anti-realism
Absolute reality is an absurdity
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 5. Essence as Kind
The sense of anything contingent has a purely apprehensible essence or Eidos
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 9. Essence and Properties
Imagine an object's properties varying; the ones that won't vary are the essential ones [Vaidya]
11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 4. The Cogito
The physical given, unlike the mental given, could be non-existing
12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 2. Self-Evidence
Husserl says we have intellectual intuitions (of categories), as well as of the senses [Velarde-Mayol]
Feelings of self-evidence (and necessity) are just the inventions of theory
12. Knowledge Sources / E. Direct Knowledge / 2. Intuition
Direct 'seeing' by consciousness is the ultimate rational legitimation
12. Knowledge Sources / E. Direct Knowledge / 4. Memory
The phenomena of memory are given in the present, but as being past [Bernet]
13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 6. Scepticism Critique
Natural science has become great by just ignoring ancient scepticism
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / c. Knowing other minds
We know another's mind via bodily expression, while also knowing it is inaccessible [Bernet]
Husserl's monads (egos) communicate, through acts of empathy. [Velarde-Mayol]
15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 1. Consciousness / b. Essence of consciousness
Pure consciousness is a sealed off system of actual Being
15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 3. Abstraction by mind
Husserl identifies a positive mental act of unification, and a negative mental act for differences [Frege]
16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 4. Presupposition of Self
The psychological ego is worldly, and the pure ego follows transcendental reduction [Velarde-Mayol]
16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 2. Knowing the Self
We never meet the Ego, as part of experience, or as left over from experience
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / b. Analysis of concepts
We clarify concepts (e.g. numbers) by determining their psychological origin [Velarde-Mayol]
18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 8. Abstractionism Critique
Psychologism blunders in focusing on concept-formation instead of delineating the concepts [Dummett]
Husserl wanted to keep a shadowy remnant of abstracted objects, to correlate them [Dummett]
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / b. Fact and value
Only facts follow from facts