Edmund Husserl: short biography, photos, main works, quotes

Edmund Husserl (years of life - 1859-1938) - a famous German philosopher, who is considered the founder of a whole philosophical movement - phenomenology. Thanks to numerous works and teaching activities, he had a great influence both on German philosophy and on the development of this science in many other countries. Edmund Husserl contributed to the emergence and formation of existentialism. Phenomenology is what Husserl's main work is related to. What is it? Let's figure it out.

What is phenomenology?

From the very beginning, phenomenology was formed as a broad movement in philosophy, and not as a closed school. Therefore, already in the early period, trends appear in it that can not be reduced to the work of Husserl. However, the main role in the development of phenomenology was played by the work of this scientist. Particularly important is his work entitled "Logical Research." Phenomenology as a direction has become especially widespread throughout Europe, as well as in America. In addition, it was developed in Japan, Australia and in a number of Asian countries.

The starting point of this philosophical doctrine is the possibility of detection, as well as a description of consciousness aimed at the object (intentional) life. An important feature of the phenomenology method is the rejection of any unclear prerequisites. In addition, representatives of this doctrine proceed from the idea of irreducibility (mutual irreducibility) and at the same time the inseparability of the objective world (spiritual culture, society, nature) and consciousness.

Education in universities, communication with scientists

The future philosopher was born on April 8, 1859 in Moravia (Prosnica). He studied at the Universities of Vienna and Berlin. It is interesting that Edmund Husserl, whose philosophy is known throughout the world, at first wanted to become a mathematician. However, T. Masaryk decided to bring him to the courses of F. Brentano, a psychologist and a philosopher. Communication with him, and then with another psychologist, K. Stumpf, contributed to the development of Edmund's interest in the study of thought processes. The future philosopher is obliged to Brentano by the concept of intention, which means the direction of consciousness. Husserl later said that Brentano did not see the problems of "intentionality" with respect to the bases of knowledge and the formation of the structures of experience.

Other thinkers who influenced Edmund in the early period are English empiricists (especially JS Mill), W. James and GV Leibniz. The theory of knowledge of Kant had a significant impact on the philosopher already in the later period of development of his views.

Husserl's first work

Edmund Husserl (pictured above) believed that the main task was defined by him in the first work called "The Philosophy of Arithmetic." In this work, for the first time, two main subjects of his interest were connected. On the one hand, it is formal logic and mathematics, and on the other - psychology. The philosopher had to face certain difficulties. G. Frege revealed some of them in a critical analysis of this work by Husserl. These difficulties forced Edmund to carry out a general study of the specific activity and structure of "conscious experience". The final chapter of the book is devoted to the instant "grasp" of various characteristic forms, such as a flock of birds or a line of soldiers. Husserl, therefore, can be called the forerunner of Gestalt psychology.

Four groups of works by Edmund Husserl

The same ideas go through all the works of this philosopher, however his views have undergone significant changes over time. All his works can be divided into the following four groups:

1. Relating to the period of "psychologism".
2. "Descriptive psychology".
3. Transcendental phenomenology, which was first presented by Husserl in 1913.
4. Works relating to the late period of the philosopher's life.

The work "Logical Research"

The most famous work of Husserl is the work "Logical Research". It was published in 1900-1901, and in the Russian edition it was first published in 1909. The author himself considered this work as a "clearing of the way" for such a direction as phenomenology. "Prolegomena to pure logic" is the first volume in which criticism of the concept of psychology, influential at that time, is given. According to this view, the basic principles and concepts of logic should be given in terms of psychology. "The idea of pure logic" is the last chapter, where Husserl presented his formal logic. This direction is emancipated from psychology. The author insists that it is senseless to refer to it the realm of pure logic. The second volume presents 6 studies of the structure and significance of the experiment. The former interest in the forms of experience led to the study of the so-called categorical intuition of such a philosopher as Edmund Husserl.

Phenomenology of Husserl

The next significant period in his work begins with Husserl's lectures "The Idea of Phenomenology." Of great importance was Husserl's transition to idealism of a new type. For this purpose, he proposed a special method called phenomenological reduction. A necessary preliminary stage in the designation of the field of perceptions and the finding of some "absolute" basis for the whole of philosophy is the era, that is, abstinence from any beliefs and judgments. Phenomenology, therefore, is engaged in the search for essences, as well as essential relationships.

Opposition to Naturalism

Considering the work of Husserl, one can see that they are opposed to naturalism. In particular, this is noticeable in the essay of 1911 "Philosophy as a strict science." For Husserl, this confrontation was one of the most effective motives. Edmund Husserl believed that the "transcendental" or purely reflexively descriptive science of experience considered should provide a certain "radical" principle to philosophy that is free from any premises. In subsequent volumes of Husserl's "Ideas" (published posthumously), and in his other writings a program of "constitutive" phenomenology was developed. The purpose of her Edmund saw in the formation of a new idealistic philosophy.

Work on logic and analysis of the processes of consciousness

In particular, Husserl's genius affects the following two areas: in the descriptive analysis of various processes of consciousness, including the experience of the consciousness of time; As well as in the philosophy of logic. The works on the logic of the mature period are the following: "Experience and Judgment" (1939) and "Formal and Transcendental Logic" (1929). Consciousness of time is studied by Husserl in "Lectures on the phenomenology of the inner consciousness of time" (1928) and in some other works relating to different periods of creativity. In 1931, Edmund Husserl created the "Cartesian Meditations", in which many problems of knowledge and experience of people's minds are described in detail.

Alternative directions of phenomenology

It must be said that many former colleagues and students of Husserl also developed phenomenology, however in alternative directions. In particular, M. Scheler was interested in religion and built on this basis his phenomenological concept. M. Heidegger, who is one of the founders of existentialism, was first a student of Husserl. After a while he carried out a revision of phenomenology, connected with the concepts of "existence" and "being." Husserl, confident of the potential of his own theory, criticized Heidegger's position.

The last years of life and death of Husserl

Edmund Husserl, abandoned by the disciples, was not easy to bear the ill health that had appeared in his last years of life. The late period was completed by Husserl's "The Crisis of European Sciences", created in 1936 and published in 1954. In it, the philosopher proposed the notion of a vital world that has become very famous.

Husserl died on April 26, 1938 in Freiburg im Breisgau. After his death, there were approximately 11,000 pages of notes and unpublished works. Fortunately, they managed to save. They were transported to Belgium (Leuven), where today work continues on their publication, started back in 1950 (the "Husserliana" series).

Edmund Husserl: quotes

Many of Husserl's quotes are worthy of attention, but many of them require a deeper acquaintance with his philosophy. Therefore, we selected the simplest ones, those that are clear to all. Edmund Husserl, whose main works were presented above, is the author of the following statements:

• "This world is not the same for everyone."
• "The relativity of truth entails the relativity of the existence of the world."
• "The beginning is a pure and, so to say, still immersed in the dumb experience."

And to this day the interest in such a direction as the phenomenological philosophy of Edmund Husserl does not cease. The life of the world, the era and the most important problems of all time - all this is reflected in his writings. Of course, Husserl can be considered a great philosopher. Many of his students and employees are now in the shadows, and Husserl's works are still being addressed. The ideas of this philosopher are still relevant, which indicates their great scale.

So, you met such an interesting thinker as Edmund Husserl. A brief biography of him, of course, gives only a superficial idea of his philosophy. In order to deeply understand his ideas, one should turn to the works of Husserl.