Phenomenology: Philosophical Thinking Based on Appearance and Experience

This paper introduces phenomenology as a mode of thinking grounded in appearance and experience, focusing on Husserl’s foundational ideas. The framework rests on intentionality (the structured relation where diverse experiences converge to form a coherent appearance) and constitution (how objects emerge as unified wholes). The object is mind-transcendent yet appears only through concrete experiences. Intersubjectivity establishes the object as the 'same object' through mutual experience among subjects, anchored in shared bodies within 'one unified nature.' Ideal objectivities (e.g., mathematical concepts) are independent of particular experiences but founded in physical signs, enabling shared meaning. The essay positions phenomenology as a foundation for studying symbol emergence and meaning generation.

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Abstract

This paper introduces phenomenology as a mode of thinking grounded in appearance and experience, focusing on Husserl’s foundational ideas and their broader philosophical implications. The phenomenological framework is built upon intentionality and constitution. Intentionality is the structured relation where diverse experiences converge to form a coherent appearance. Constitution describes how objects emerge as unified wholes within this diversity. The object is understood as a mind-transcendent reality, which nevertheless cannot appear without being embedded in concrete experiences. The discussion then turns to intersubjectivity, showing that an object is established as the “same object”—a necessary condition for reality—only through mutual experience and interaction among multiple subjects. This shared reality is anchored in our shared bodies within “one unified nature.” Furthermore, the paper discusses Symbols and the Ideal as key to intersubjective connection. Ideal objectivities (e.g., mathematical concepts) are not mere subjective phantoms but are evidently experienced. They are independent of particular experiences but always founded (fundiert) in physical signs. This enables them to serve as the “same objects” for all subjects, manifesting within the interweaving lives of subjects through symbols and potentially representing the transformability between differing individual experiences. The essay thus situates phenomenology as a key philosophical foundation for the study of symbol emergence and meaning generation.