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Phenomenology

Module description

This module offers a critical introduction to phenomenology, one of the most important philosophical movements of the twentieth century. The development of phenomenology heralded a radically new way of doing philosophy, moving away from metaphysical speculation of so-called ‘pseudo-problems’ towards rich descriptions of concrete lived experience. In this module you will trace the origins and development of phenomenology across key thinkers and themes in the 20^th century, starting with the thinking of Franz Brentano and the development of the phenomenological method by Edmund Husserl at the turn of the century. You will systematically explore the distinctive development and use of phenomenology by several key 20^th century thinkers, including Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Edith Stein, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Emmanuel Levinas. Themes that will be critically considered through a phenomenological lens include: intentionality, perception, consciousness, embodiment, intersubjectivity, self-consciousness, the lifeworld, ethics and emotion. Topics in contemporary applied phenomenology will also be considered including illness and feminism. The module will offer you an important grounding in and understanding of the influential philosophical movement of phenomenology.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the place of phenomenology in the history of philosophy. Furthermore, the module aims to critically explore and investigate the challenges associated with the practice and method of phenomenology and how phenomenology sits in relation to other leading philosophical schools of thought such as metaphysics, existentialism, naturalism and empiricism. In addition, the module aims to encourage you to be able to reflect phenomenologically about your own lived experience and to explore the contemporary relevance of the phenomenological approach to a variety of topics and disciplines. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Identify and cogently discuss the key methods, questions, themes and topics within the phenomenological tradition
• 2. Critically distinguish and evaluate various approaches to phenomenology, and related critiques, within the 20th century

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Demonstrate a high level of understanding of the interrelation between theories, values and lived experience
• 4. Demonstrate sound knowledge of different types of philosophical analysis

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Demonstrate a significantly expanded philosophical vocabulary and understanding with respect to key ideas in twentieth century European philosophy
• 6. Conduct research independently engaging with complex ideas and problems
• 7. Engage in complex argumentation both orally and through writing

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Introduction to Phenomenology & Franz Brentano and his Influence on Edmund Husserl
• Edmund Husserl – Phenomenology and the Phenomenological Method
• Edmund Husserl – Intentionality & Transcendental Phenomenology
• Edmund Husserl – Internal Time Consciousness, the Crisis & the Lifeworld
• Edith Stein – The Other and Empathy
• Martin Heidegger – Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Being and Time
• Jean-Paul Sartre – The Body, the Look and the Other
• Simone de Beauvoir – Feminist Phenomenology and The Second Sex
• Frantz Fanon and Africana Phenomenology – Phenomenology and Racialized Experiences
• Maurice Merleau-Ponty – Existential Phenomenology and the Phenomenology of Perception
• Maurice Merleau-Ponty – Embodied Subjectivity and a Phenomenology of Embodiment
• Emmanuel Levinas – Phenomenological Ethics

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Indicative reading list:

Core module texts:

1. Dermot Moran & Tim Mooney, eds., The Phenomenology Reader (New York: Routledge, 2002).
2. Dermot Moran, Introduction to Phenomenology (New York: Routledge, 2000).

In addition, extracts from the following philosophical works will be discussed in lectures and tutorials:

1. Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness
2. Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex
3. Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology of Perception
4. Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity
5. Martin Heidegger, Being and Time
6. Edmund Husserl, The Crisis of the European Sciences
7. Edith Stein, On the Problem of Empathy
8. Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Key words search

Phenomenology, 20^th Century Philosophy, Edmund Husserl, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Edith Stein, Simone de Beauvoir, Emmanuel Levinas, Frantz Fanon.