How to Understand Consciousness: The Strength of the Phenomenological Method
Maria Armezzani
World Futures January 8, 2009 DOI: 10.1080/02604020802594907 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 5 |
| Key points | Argues that the phenomenological method, rather than dissolving the mind-body separation, anticipates it by revealing human presence as structurally "ambiguous." Contends that Francisco Varela's full reintroduction of Husserl's scientific project opens a promising, still-unexplored research area for neuroscience, contingent on accepting phenomenology's essential radicalism. |
Abstract
Analyzing the outline of the endless literature on consciousness, the separation between science and philosophy rather than being overcome, seems to come back in different shapes. According to this point of view, the hard problem seems to be how to study consciousness while avoiding a slip back to the old dualism. This article outlines the advantages of the phenomenological method. This method, more than getting over the mind-body separation, anticipates it through an open gaze, able to bring back the human presence as something structurally “ambiguous.” Reintroducing Husserl's scientific project in a complete way, Francisco Varela opened up a research area yet to be explored, which promises to be fertile for neuroscience, provided that we accept that radicalism essential to phenomenology.