What is Phenomenology? Origins, Concepts and Development of the Theory: An introduction for PhD students.

What is phenomenology? Buckle up PhD students, because I’m about to take you on a ride encompassing its origins, key concepts and theoretical developments!

Many of you have been asking me about this lately, so I thought it was high time I shared my insights into this fascinating corner of theory!

Understanding Phenomenology

Phenomenology, in its essence, is a philosophical approach that delves into how individuals make sense of the world around them.

Now, if you're like many of my graduate students, the mere mention of intricate theories can be a tad intimidating, especially when they come with names like “phenomenology”.

But fear not, by the end of this post, you'll not only understand what phenomenology is but also appreciate its origin, development, and maybe even pick up some cool new words along the way. So, grab your favorite coffee, a biscuit, and let's embark on this journey of understanding.

Origins with Husserl: Intentional Consciousness and Essence

So, what is phenomenology, you might ask?

At its core, it's an exploration of how our lived experiences shape our understanding of the world.

Our perceptions, senses, and encounters form the very foundation upon which we construct our knowledge of the social world that surrounds us. Now, that might sound a bit abstract, but stick with me – it gets more relatable as we go.

Let's rewind a bit and touch upon the roots of phenomenology, traced back to the work of Edmund Husserl, a prominent German philosopher. Husserl's insights into intentional consciousness and essence laid the groundwork for what would later become phenomenology. He emphasized how our focus in everyday life is directed towards the things immediately in front of us, shaping our unique lenses through which we perceive the world.

Categorizing Phenomena: Essence and Coffee Shops, WTF?!

Now, in our daily lives, we encounter a multitude of stimuli – sights, sounds, tastes, and more.

To make sense of this sensory barrage, we categorize these experiences as phenomena.

Imagine walking into a coffee shop – the aroma, the sounds of brewing, the taste of your favorite blend – all fall under this umbrella of phenomena.

Husserl urged us to focus on the essence of these phenomena, identifying the distinguishing features that group them together.

For instance, what sets a coffee shop apart from a clothes shop? You can buy coffee in a coffee shop, but not a clothes shop! You can buy clothes in a clothes shop, but not in most coffee shops! Essence is about the unique features, the characteristics that make each distinct.

Evolution with Schutz: Typifications and Common-Sense Knowledge

Now, let's fast forward to the evolution of phenomenology in the hands of Alfred Schutz, a student of Husserl who took these philosophical ideas and made them more applicable to social science.

Schutz saw everyday life as a crucial space where meanings were crafted through our regular experiences. He emphasized the social aspect of reality, how we operate not only within but also upon the world.

Schutz introduced the concept of typifications, labels and scripts attached to our experiences, be it a car, laptop, or coffee shop.

These typifications form our common-sense knowledge, a shared understanding that enables us to communicate and navigate the social world.

Picture the scenario in a coffee shop where you order an oat milk flat white – the exchange is smooth because both you and the barista draw upon a shared library of common-sense knowledge. They ask you, “Drink in or take out?”. You understand what that means. They ask you, “Cash or card?”. You understand what that means too. Your common-sense knowledge of the world has given you an understanding of how daily life works and hw to navigate through the interactions and exchanges you have with other people throughout the day.

Evolving Common-Sense Knowledge

This common-sense knowledge, however, is not static. It evolves over time through our actions and interactions, shaping our understanding of the world.

Consider the advancements in technology, like AI, over the years – our common-sense knowledge around these concepts continually develops as we engage with them in our daily lives.

The Illusion of Order: Schutz's Perspective

But here's the kicker – this sense of order and structure we perceive in the world is more of an illusion, according to Schutz. Reality, he argued, is a messy mix of individual experiences with no inherent order or structure. We simply believe there is order and structure!

What?! Yes, Schutz argues that the social world is essentially one of chaos, but humans have come to attach meanings to that chaos in order to make it through life! We delude ourselves that there is order and structure, when there really is none! We make sense of things that don’t make sense to make our days more bearable.

Looking Ahead: Exploring Ethnomethodology

In my next blog post, I'll be delving into ethnomethodology, a field that builds upon phenomenology. Unlike the theoretical nature of Schutz's work, ethnomethodologists applied phenomenological ideas in their research, and we'll explore some of the intriguing things they uncovered. Hold onto your hats, because their research took place quite a while ago and in my humble opinion, it would never get past an ethics committee thesedays!

So, until next time, stay curious!

Found this helpful?

If you like the way I explain things, you might want to check out my other theoretical stuff! Start with this blogpost on ontology and epistemology!