The Foundation of Phenomenology: Edmund Husserl and the Quest for a Rigorous Science of Philosophy (3rd ed)

597 Pages·1968·14.53 MB·English

by  Marvin Farber

THE FOUNDATION OF
PHENOMENOLOGY
EdmuHnuds saentrdhl Qe u efosrt
a
RigoSrcioeuonsPfc h ei losophy
BYM ARVIN FARBER
STATE UNIVERSITYO F NEW YORK PRESS
ALBANY
Copyright © 1943 by
The Research Foundation
of State University of New York
Albany, New York
All rights reserved
Third edition
First paperbound printing, 1968
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 67-25983
Standard Book Number 87395-037-2
Manufactured in the United States of America
PREFACET O THE THIRDE DITION
INT HE PREFACEt ot hefi rsetdi tion (Harvard UniverPsrietsy1s 9,4 ,3 )the
presentw orki sd escriabsteh edt hiridna plnaned serioefsP ublicatoifo ns
theI nternatPihoennomaeln ologiacl ocSitey, following the quarrlyt ejournal,
PhilosoapnhdyP henomenoloRgeisceaalr cahn,d P hilosophEiscsaalyi sn
Memoryo fE dmundH usserI!to. ff eras d etaialecdc ouonftH u sserplhil'­s
osopahsyi tde veolped froml ogipcsaylc holotgoit srma nscendpehnetnaolm e­
nologiync, o nnectwiiotnih t bsa ckgroaunnddc ritTihcesm. a inc onteonfht i s
mostfa mouwso rkt,h eL ogiscUhnet ersuchuinsgi ennc,l udiened ss,en tila
fulfillomfea n rtpo mseim adet oH ussetrorle n dert hawto rki nE nglsih,t he
aimb eintgo c ombinfer eedoomfp resentaiton withe xactnoefsm se aning.
Thesein vestigoaions provide indipsensablee xampleso f phenomenological
descripiton. Thew rietr's appraiasnadlc srit icalc ommenatrsei ntenndoetd
onyl toe vlautae partiuclar ideaasn dp rincipbluetas l,s too d etermitnhee
propfeurn ctoifop nhe nomenoolgya sa methodoloprgociecudrael. I nk eeping
witht her estriscctoepdoe f t heb ookt,h et reatmeonft t ranscendental
phenomenoliosng ecyes sarily selectwiivtehf, u rthdeirs cussrieosne rfvoerd
laetr upblicaitosn.
Int hec ourosfeh ise arlpye rioodfs tudiyn G ermantyh,e w riteenrj oyed
thec loasses ociaantdip oenr sognuaild aonfcH eu sse,rw lhor emainoendeo f
theg reaitn fluencupeosn h isd evelopment. Butt he writecro ulndo tb e
creditweidt h" orhtodoxy" withre spect tot hes ysteomf transcendental
phenomenolioedgalisimc,a wlh erhee hasa lways differferdo mh ish onored
mastearnd, hasb eenc ompeltloer de jetchet s ystemaitc attempattis t s
jusctiatfiionA. s triinctrtepr etaiton ofp henomenolaosga y d escripphtiilv­e
osophimceatlh oadn dd iscipilspi onsseib le,a ndi sa loncea pabolfeg aining
genearcacle ptance.
VI THE FOUNDATIONO F PHENOMENOLOGY
Inp ublishnigt hes ecoenddi tiino1 n9 6i2ts, e emaepdp roptroit aatkee
anotlhoeorak tH ussaenrdpl h enomenionvl ioegowyft hmeo mentcohuasn ges
int hie ntervyeenairnsg.
In1 93w6h,e tnh per eparoaftt hipeorn e sweonrtwk a su ndertHauksesne,r l
wasn eatrh ee ndo fh ilsi fwei,th hi psh iloshyo pperpet"uuanlklnyo -wn"
onem ighta lmossatyu ,n knoawsna mattoefpr r incTihpalcteo .u lndo bte
saiabd ouhti esa rtlhoyug ht. Heh adb eguhni csa reweirts ht udoinef su nda­
menttahle miensm athemaltoigciascn,,dp sychoHliogsfiy r.sw to rkwse re
writtcelne awrliytm,hu cha ttenttoti holeni teraantdut rheew,ye reen tirely
intellTihgeri ebcleep.ot fhi ioisnd ewaosu lhda vbee egnr eaftalcyi litated had
hep roceeadlnegod h iesa rlliyn aessa m athematical apnhdli olgoiscoipahne.r
Buthe w asa ffecbtyem do tievxepsl aiinnta hbleli eg ohftt h dee velopomfe nt
Germapnh ilosdoephryi vfirnogKm a nta ndH egeAl .j ustififaeeblloiefn g
independbeenccaeim net ensbiycfi oendt ihnouesdt ianldim tiuysn derstnadnigs
ont hpea rto fm osotfh sic notemrpoairesw hor eacttoeh idws o rkH.i si nde­
pendednetv elopmaelnlto,wl iintgpt elres ondails cuswsiitohdn i ssenting
thnkies,r andh isc reatoifao nu niqtueec hnivcoacla bulaadrdye,td o t he
difficulitnui nedse rstahnidsfiu nrgt hsetru diTehse.l egetnhd atth er eal
Hussewrals " unknowcno"u leda sibleyc ompleua sib.l Secholwaerrsea d­
monishteodl ootko t heu npublilsihteedr reamrayi onfsH usseforlrh is
"reaplh"i losHoupshsye.pr rle'dse ciensF srobeurirg ,H einrRiicchk ewrhot ,
belontgoead r iviadle altiesnntdciye,c w asa blteon otwei tsho mter utthh at
"Hussehrellb da cki"nt hepu blciatni oofh iisd eaFsu.r therimtow raes,
arguetdht aH ussemrold'eos f i nquicroyu lndo tb ec oordiwniattohet dh er
typeso fi qnui,r ayndt haittc oulndo tb es ubsumuendd etrh eg enuosf
methdo. Thics oulodny l become more acnoddn sifcuorsuagiingng t oth e
studoefnp th ilosophy.
Substapnrtoigarlhe assbs e emna dei nt hep roceosfps u blisthhien g
Hussemraln uscrIitip sct esr.t atirnutlehy a at m orceo mplkentoew leodfg e
thnea tuarned s cope ofH ussewrolr'ikss n owpo ssible.T hep resent writer
hatsa kaecnc ooufns to moef Husserl's wwreirnteoi atnv gasi ldwauhbril­ceh
inhgi lsi fetiinh msieN ,a turalainsdSm u bjectivIints hmib.os ok ,a thoroguh­
goingr econsidoeftr hafietr isovtno luomfet hIed eaosf1 91is3f ollobwye d
ane xamiantni ooft hes ecoanndd t hivrodl umoefst h awto rkP.o sitively,
Husserilsv iewiendt hlei gohfth ias ttemtpoct o nstar puhcitl osoofp hy
purseu bcjitevism; andn egatiivneh liscy o,n spichuiosutso fruinccatloi fo n
oppsiogn naturaalsai s pmhilo sophicalt endeIntch ya.sb eegne neraslulpy-
PREFACE VII
posetdh ahte d ispoosfep ds ycholionga ilsilmt fso rmasl,o nwgi tthh e
admittfeadullnyta yt uraolfhi istsmi mAe .r econsidoefhr iaastr igounm ents,
howevweoru,l lde aodn et oq ualtihfayjt u dgmeHnuts.s esrelr'vsti oct eh e
philosoofpf hoyr mlaolg miacy b er ecogniwzietdh,ojluu tm pitnogt he
conclutshiatothn e arrene o p oinotfcs o ntbaecttw eleonga incdp sychology,
bioloogrsy o,c isacli enIctme u.s2bt e d ecidwehde theevri denocfea faulty
typeo fn aturalism theroefaw liflto hr modsfin saptousreaisln icslmu,d ing
a critniactaulr awlhiiscimhs o rienttote hdep rogroefts hse s cienacneds ,
isc onstriuncs tterdci ocntf ortmoit thyep rinciopfml eetsh odoTlhoeg y.
attemaptat radirceaflu taotfni aotnu rawliitsthmh ,ue seo fa dh ominem
chargaesis l,l ustbryHa utsesde irnhl i Losg ose ssoany" Philosaosap hy
RigorSocuise npcreo,vt"eo bs e a h ollvoiwc tTohreyna .t urtad loiensso hta ev
toa ccetphtpe u rpordtaemdalgyic nogm mitmiennq tuse stiinoo nr,d teorbe
a naturaTlhiecs otn.v inscuebdj ecmtaiyvb iescto smoem ucha ccusttoom ed
hiss tereo(t"ynpeast ura"lmiastme,r"i a"leimspmi,r"i cetia sl)m.t, h"a hte
faitlods o j usttiotc here a nkosfe mergsicnige nce-orienteIdt philosophers.
woulhda vteo sbheo wwnh ethDeerw eyLo'gsi cc oulbdea ffectbeytd h e
anntait urablairsrtaoigfcHe u sseLrolgo'sse ssaoyrb, y a nyo ft hec ritical
foraeylss ewhienhr iews r itiInngs sh.o, rH tussesrtla'nsd aisna g f oeo f
naturamluisbest m r eassessed.
Ont hoet hhearn dh,is st andaisan pgu redleys criipntvievset iingt ahteo r
subjectsipvhiewsritelni loc bt e c halleAnlgtehdo.mu ugchh o fh iwso rskt ill
remaitnobs e t estfeoidrt fsr uitfaunldnp eossss irbelse,u lhtetsrcea nb en o
doubatb ouhtig se nifuospr a instaking descripthiivgeih n i nquiry. Ranking
hiwso rkar eh iesp istemo(lpohgeincoamle nosltougdioicfael lso) g iecxa­l
perieanncdre e asonainndag l;sh oid se scrispttuidvoiefet si me-consciousness.
Itm ayb ee xpecttheapSdty cholowgiilislnt csr eastiankagecl cyo uonfht i s
findinignts h yee atrocs o me.
Them eriotfss ubjectaisav sipsemc idaelvliyst eydpo ef p rocedwuirlel
nobet deniBeudit.t i so nloyn et yepo fp roceadnudri esn otth seo loerga non
ofp hilosAolpthhyo.ou ngech a anp proparcohb loefmo sn toloongH yu sserl's
lCf.t hef avorajbuldeg meontfE rnsCta ssirfeorre, x amplien,h isL ogoifct h e
Humanipt.i e1(s3N0,e w H avenY:a leU niversPiretssy, 1 961).
2CfJ.o hnD ewey'ssi gnificaatntte maptta logiocf i nquirwyi,t hd uea ttention
paidt ot hee xistenmtaitarlio xf i nquiriynh, i sL ogiTch,eT heoorfyI nquiry
(NeYwo rkH:e nryH olta ndC o.1,9 38).
VIII THE FOUNDATIONO F PHENOMENOLOGY
premis(etsob egiwni thth,e p ureex perieonfca enis n dividkunaolw ewri,t h
alble liienft sr anscenedxeinstt eenxcter udoersd u spendmeadj)o,ar s pecotfs
ontoloagryeu navoidasbhluyto utt herebHyu.s serdli'ssc ussoifwo hno lse
andp artisnh isL ogicaIln vestigaatnidoh nisstr, e atmeonfft a catn de ssence
inh iIs deaarsei ,n dicatoifho inessa rmloyd eo fa pproatcooh n toloHgeyc .o uld
notha veb eeenx pectteobd r idtghee g apb etwefeanc atnsd e ssenocrei sd eal
formasn,ym oret haann yo thetrh inkdeerrsi vfirnogPm l ataol,tl h ew ayd own
toW hiteheTahde.c onceopfte ss senicdee,a lwihtoyl,ep ,a rte,t ca.r,ed evices
forh andlipnrgo bleomfse xperieTnhceeyc. a nnobte s elf-suffifcoirte hnet
purposoefas c ompleotnet olohgoyw,e veFro.rt hel at,tb earsifca cmtusst b e
takeonv ears t hep oinotfd epartfuorrpe h ilosoipnhqiuci Erxyi.s tecnacnen ot
bed erivferdo me ssenocref ,r oma nyi deaclo nstrucIttim ounsstb. ea cknowl­
edgeidni tpsr isotra t-upsr iotroh umane xperiienna cleil t fso rmTsh.e b asic
facotft hei ndependeexnits teanncdre e aloiftt yh ep hysiwcoarll adn,t edating
thee mergenocfme i nd( andp hilosopshyisctaelmb sy)a ni ndefinigtreealty
amounotf t imea,n dt hed ependee onfcm indu ponc ultucroanld itimounsst,
ber egardaespd r econdiftoirao lnslso unidn quiirnyp hilosoTphheys.ae r e
factturautlhc so,n veyteodu sb yt hec ourosfeo rdinaerxyp erieanncdeb ,y
a hosotf s cientoibfisce rvations.
To retotrhta tth iiss " naivoer,a " "dogmaa,s"H usseirnls istisea dn,
indicaotfit ohnea stonislheinnggtt ohw hicah p hilosolpohnecgro nfinetdo
hiss pecia"lc avec"o ulgdo .S ureiltyi sn otn aivoer d ogmattiocr efetro
Husseorwlnp' asr enatsas n tedathiirnseg ver"epdh enomenolroegdiuccatli on."
Butt haatlo s appliteots h ea ncestoofbr ost ohf t he,ma ndt hec ultusryes tems
ofw hicthh ewye er partbsu;ta lstoh er ealomf p hysincaatlu rweh,i cmhu st
bea cceptaeldo nwgi tht hec ultusryes temasn;dt herewiistg hr anttehde
independoefni cnefi nintaet urIetm. a ya ppeadri sarmtion- ga lltohwa tth e
naturvaile owf t hew orlhda si t"sr ightbsu,tt" h iasd misns miaoyb em erely
a meanosf o utflanking nawthuirlahelo ilsdmii,nn gr esertvheee pistemological
princiopftl he el imitaotfir oena ltioti yt psl acien e xperieWnicteh.o utth e
basitcr utcho ncerntihneig n dependneanttu rwaolr ldt,h ercea nbe not alk
ofa phenomenologictaole xaicscteeasnnscd eo ,n lay partioaral n a ncillary
approatcoha n ontolowgoyu ldt henb ep ossibTlhee.fl esha ndb looodf
ontolwooguyl bde l ackiwnigt hotuhta ttr u.tT hher eanla iveatnedd ogmatism
are shownb y thosweh o faitlo r ecogntihziets r utahn,d w ho seeo nly
naiveatned d ogmatiisnmi tL.e tu sg uaradg aintshtee rroorf " pseudo­
ontolo-gyi". es.ee,k gi tnofi nde xistewnhceer iet c annobet f ounodn t he
PREFACE IX
available pbreecmaiuissthee as sb, e eenx trudoenpd ri ncibpylt eh e" reduction."
Onlyp urceo nscioucsonuelcsdos m ef romp urceo nsciouosnnlesyspi sri;tc ould
come from spiri;ta nde vetnh es elf-alieonfsa pitriitro en maiwnhsa ti tw as( if
we doi tth eh onoorf a llowitnhgai tt " wasi"n s omes en)s,en amelsyp,i rit
ind igsuise.T hep rooft hatth ec onditoifot nhso ugohrto ,fe xperi,ean rceae lso
thce onditoifot nhseo bjeocftt sh oughorto ,f t heo bejctso fe xperience, remains
tob ee stabliTshhee" dc.o nditoiftoh nousgh t"m ustfi rsbet shown tob ee ffce­
tivceo nditioofan lslt hought-experainedni ctme sus;t b ep rovetdh atth e
sames et ofc onditiaopnpisel st oe xperieanncdet or ealiNtoyw.h erhea s
Hussedronle o.s
Whath eh asa chievweildnl o tb ei mpugneedv,e bny t hosweh or ejehcits
argumnetsf orid ealiassmi nconcluIsdievael.ir sema chietdsl asatn,d i ts
mositng enious,s tronghiontl rda nsdceenantlp henomenolFoorgyt.ut nelay,t hat
isa raotnialisttyipocef p hiolsophy,w hicmha keasn e valuaotfii otpn o ssible.
Ther ecenptulbyl ishveodl umeosf H usse'sr FlirsPth iloso(pEhrys tPeh il­
osophisehow) howf ulcloyn scihoeuw sa so fh isi dealimsitsisci on.
Then ewedre voeplmentisnt hem ore generalp hneomenologicatle nde,n cy
knowna s" existle,"n atrieia ndebtteovd a rioaussp ecotfHs u ssertIh'osu ght.
Butt heayr ea lsion debtteood t hre ousrceso fi nfluencseo,t hatth eaiprp raisal
presean mtasn ysidperdo bleems,p ecibaelclayu osfet hee lemenotfsi rration­
alsim thahta vea pperead.S uchm ixedde rivaotfep sh enomengyo ltoendt o
shinwei thth eb orrowleuds torfet het erm"se xisteanncde" "b einwgh,"i ch
arem orep ropeursleyid n t hen aturalsitetsitnipgcro videbdy t hes cienacneds
ordinarye xperience.
Husserclr'ist ivciaelwo ft he" existentpihaliolso"ph y hasb eeinn dicabtye d
hism arginaln oteosn s omeof Heideg'sg werritinfgosre, x amplIetw. a sh is
faitthh attr anscend"ecnotnaslt,i tpuhteinvoem"e nolwoagsay d equaftoera ll
phlisoophicalp urpoIsne s.hla istsp e rodi,h e introdutcheecd o nceopfta
"life-w(oar" lpdr"e givleinf"e -wowrhlidc)wh,a st ob ridge theg apb etween
purceo nsciouasnndet shsew orlodf o rdinayr experi. eIntic seim portannto t
tom akee xcesscilvaei fmosr t hi"sl ife-wolrelsidttb, "ea sm ucha buseads
HusserWle'sse nssc(h"eause nstail seeingw"a)si ni ts tTihmeew .o rlod f
natruale xistewnacsen ota ccordperodir statwuist ht heco nception ofa
prgeievnl ife-wTohrelb da.s iidce alitshteisocifp s h eonmenoolgyw ass upposed
tob ef urthiemprle metnedb,u tn ota bnadoned,w itthh tac oncpetino.
Thep resewnrti tneerv etro okt hest ept owaradc ceptaonfpc hee nomeno­
logiciadle aliassam p hioslopheyv,e nw hilset udyiwnigt hH usserHle. h as
x THE FOUNDATIOONF PHENOMENOLOGY
alwamyasi ntaiannoe ndt ologpiosictailoo fnp hsyiclam oniswmh icah llows
foar dv iersiotfsy y stedmesp,e nduipnognt hes elecotrigvaen izoaftth ieon
subjemcatt toerfe acshy steTmh.i so ntologmiocnailsg mo easl onwgi th
logipclaulr a,lt ihsumasv oidtihnege rroorfo versimpliwfihciactmhia oyn ,
bei ncurrbeyd a "reductioonnitsotlio(cgt"eyh t erm" reductioinsi stic"
obviuoslye ntirely difftehrete enrtam s fu rsoeidmn p henomenowlohgeyr, e
iptr oerplym eanrse stritcott ihoeon b jeacntdsc onteonftt sh ee xperiences
themse)l ve.s
One maya ccetphte d escripptriovcee doufrp eh enomenowliotghyo ut
idealciostmimci tmeanntdsa ,l sdoo j usttioct eh en eedosf a naturalistic
ontoloThgatyi .s m adep ossibbyml eea nosf a genercaoln cepotfim oent hso d
andt hefiurn ctfioortn h es olutoifop nr obleAm sd.i vrseitoyf m ethoidss
requibryet dh ee ndledsisv erosfip tryo bleImfsm .e thoadrse i nstittuot ed
solprvoebl ,eo mrts oa nswequre stiwoenm su,s tbe p repatroeed n laroguer
concepotfim oent hoadcsc ordiThneg lpyr.oc eduorfpe h enomenoilswo eglyl
suitteodh andloen es eto fp robleImfsu .s eds oleiltye ,n gendneerws,
artifipcrioabll ewmhsi,c ahr em ethodogiennc ihca rac-tie.re t.h,e fyo llow
frotmh eu seo ft hem ethodi nq uestiTohnu.st ,h ep robloefmo themri nds,
andt hper obloefme xisteanrceme e,t hodogfeonrpi hce nomenoTlhoeg y.
methodologicalo fpt lhuepr raelsiewsnrmti thears l edh imt ou rgteh e
"cooperoaftim oenth od,"s insofaastr h ecya nbe justfieidl ogicianlc loyn ­
nectiwoint thh es olutoifop nr obleamnsd,b yt hef actIsn.s uccha seist
appears steonc soenlteitsnhsues e t ubbwoarrnf aorfte h es chooTlhsel. a t,t er
whiluen derstanhdiasbtloer, if craeuelqnltyltyu rnosu tt ob ea meresu rvival
oflo yatlota ym oroer l esvse stterda dition.
Despittheep roceosfps u blatiicoonf H ussermlan'ussc ripbtyts heH usserl
ArchiovfeLs o uvaUinni ver, tshitemy ajooru tlionfeh si dse velopmaenndt ,
the" foundaotfpi hoenn omenoiltosgeyrl"ef m,a aisnp resenitnte hdep rseent
volumTeh.e q uartjeorulryn Pahill,o soapnhdPy h enomegnioclaRole seat'ch,
hasc ontintuote adk aec couofnt th ep ublicaotfHi uosns erwlr'ist ianngdso ,f
thpee rtilnietnetr aitntu hrele argpehern omenoltoegnidceanlc y.
Ofr ecepnutbi clatinso,m entimoany b em adeo fH ussrl'es DieI dedee r
Phiinomegnioel( o1950w)h,ich giveasn earyl statemoefnh its r eflections
leaditnotg h ef ormulaotfia ot rnna secndenalt phenomenoltohgesy e;c ond
andt hirvdo lumoefsh isI dee(n1 952t)h;eK risdie,se. u ropiiisWcihse­n
senschaulntdde inte r anszendPehniitnaolmee no(l1o9g5i4eh) i;Es r stPeh iloso-
PREFACE XI
phi(et wvoo lum1e9s5,61 ,9 59t)h;eG ermaonr igionfta hleC a rtesMieadni ta­
tio(n1s9 50o)fw, h icahn E nglitsrha nslbaytD ioorni oCna irhnassa ppeared
(1906);P hiinomenoloPgsiyscchhoel (o1g692i)e -allp ublisbhyeM dar tinus
NijhoTffh,e H ageu,H ollaunnd,d etrh ed irecotfiP orno fesHs.oL r.V an
Bred-aa lonwgi tthh ep resewnrti terre'csec nrti twiocraklN, a turalainsdm
Subjecti(vCihsamr Cl.eT sh omasS,p ringfiIellldi,n1 o9i5s9,T) h.e g eneral
philosoofpa h pye rvasniavteu rawlhiiscmih n clutdheefis n dinogfsr eflective
analyissai lsos setf ortihnt hreseu bsequboeonktsb yt hep resewnrti ter
(Harp&e Rro wT orchbooTkhse)A :i mso fP henomenolTohgeMy o:ti ves,
Methodasn,d I mpacotf H usserT!h'osu gh(t1 966P)h;e nomenolaongyd
Existee:Tn ocwarad P hilosowpihtyh Niant ur(1e96 7);a ndB asiIcs suoefs
PhilosoEpxhpye:r ieRnecael,ia tnydH, u manV alu(e1s9 68).
Itc ans tiblesl a itdh amtu chr emaitnobes donfeo trh eun derstaannddi ng
critiecvaall uaotfmi aonnya speocftH su ssewrolr'ksi, n cludiitrnseg l ationships
andp ossiubsleef ulfnoeorst sh efire ldosfi nquiFriyr.os fta llH,u ssemruls t
beu nedrstoaondd,e rrodruset os uperfiicmiparle ssmiuosnbtse a voidIetd .
ish opetdh atth epr esevnotl umwei lclo ntitnoub ee aanid t owartdh aetn d.
BUFFANLEOW,Y ORK MARVFIANll BEll
May7 ,1967