What is a priori phenomenology

Transcendental phenomenology is a philosophical method established by German philosopher Husserl, emphasizing the direct description of the essential structure of conscious experience through the suspension of natural attitudes. It mainly consists of five core dimensions: phenomenological restoration, essential intuition, intentional analysis, life world research, and intersubjective theory.

1. Phenomenological Restoration

Phenomenological restoration requires researchers to temporarily set aside their beliefs about the existence of the external world and focus on the conscious activity itself. This operation of suspending the natural attitude is called adding parentheses, aimed at eliminating the interference of experiential presuppositions and allowing pure conscious phenomena to manifest. Husserl believed that this was a necessary path towards prior subjectivity, through which the prior self that forms the basis of all experience could be discovered through restoration.

II. Intrinsic Intuition

Intrinsic intuition refers to grasping the universal structure of consciousness through the method of free imagination and change. Researchers obtain essential cognition beyond individual experiences by fabricating various possible scenarios and observing the unchanging parts of conscious experience. This method is different from empirical induction, emphasizing the direct grasp of prior categories in intuition, such as the basic forms of consciousness such as temporality and spatiality.

III. Intentional Analysis

Intentional theory holds that consciousness is always about something, and every experience has directional characteristics. A priori phenomenology analyzes the constitutive relationship between intention activities and intention objects at different levels, revealing how meaning is constructed in the stream of consciousness. This analysis involves the essential differences in perception, memory, imagination, and other conscious behaviors, as well as the presentation of their objects.

Fourth, Life World Research

The life world refers to the overall perspective of pre scientific experience, which is the specific field of operation of prior subjectivity. Husserl emphasized the return to this primitive world obscured by natural science in his late period, examining the implicit intersubjective structures within it. This study reveals that scientific objectivity is rooted in the shared experience of subjects, providing phenomenological solutions for overcoming the crisis of modern science.

V. Intersubjectivity Theory

Intersubjectivity explores how multiple prior subjects constitute a shared world. Through the analysis of empathy, phenomenology explains how the consciousness of others is given in my experience, thereby demonstrating that the universal validity of the objective world is based on consensus among subjects. This is the key theory of transcendental phenomenology to solve the dilemma of solipsism.

understanding prior phenomenology requires continuous practice of phenomenological observation methods, and it is recommended to start descriptive training from daily perceptual experiences. Maintain a reflective attitude towards conscious activities, pay attention to distinguishing between empirical facts and essential structures, and read classic phenomenological works to grasp core concepts. This method has important implications for fields such as psychology and cognitive science, but it is necessary to avoid simplifying prior dimensions into empirical processes.