Phenomenology

Phenomenology is a philosophical approach that explores the structure of consciousness and experience, examining how things appear to us (phenomena) and the meanings we derive from them. It emphasizes the importance of lived experience, subjective perspectives, and the study of essences as revealed through our consciousness. It aims to understand the essential structures of experience as it is lived, rather than offering explanations based on objective reality. It typically involves methods of careful description, intuition, and reflection to clarify the conditions of the lived experience and the meanings constructed through them. It does not reject objectivity but suggests that it can only be understood after experiencing and understanding it.

Phenomenology meaning with examples

• In studying grief, phenomenology allows researchers to deeply understand the subjective experience of loss, focusing on the emotions, sensations, and altered perceptions of time felt by those grieving. Instead of statistical analysis, they engage with personal narratives, and interviews which enable the researcher to illuminate how grief reshapes individual worlds and how the meaning of loss varies.
• Husserl’s methodology is integral to phenomenology. The researchers would 'bracket' pre-existing assumptions about the world and focus on the data of consciousness, the objects themselves, and the way we become conscious of them. They would analyze the experience to determine its essential features and uncover what is revealed through a specific phenomenon. The objective is to understand the essences of the phenomenon.
• When considering the experience of a religious practice, phenomenology wouldn't define or explain it, but rather examine how the practice appears in consciousness: the feelings, sights, and sounds of the ritual, and the meanings the participant gives to the ritual. It's about mapping and analyzing the specific experiences rather than assessing the 'truth' or the validity of the belief.
• Contemporary applications of phenomenology in social science include the study of embodied cognition, the understanding of the impact of technology on human experience, and the exploration of the 'everyday'. It is used to map the subjective dimensions of societal practices to understand how these social dimensions influence the lives of individuals.