Picture of Edmund Husserl
Edmund Husserl was a highly influential Austrian-German philosopher of the 20th century. He has made contributions to the fields of hermeneutics and existentialism. However, perhaps his most well-known feat was his establishment of phenomenology (Beyer, 2022).
Husserl believed that consciousness was a phenomenon that had the unique characteristic of intentionality, or always being directed towards or about something (Beyer, 2022). He used his study of phenomenology to explain that consciousness originates from personal experiences and one's interpretation of these experiences. Thus, Husserl believes that consciousness can only be understood from a first-person perspective.
This viewpoint has great significance for human life. It emphasizes the importance of lived experiences and encourages individuals to have greater awareness of themselves and their environment. Husserl's viewpoint also encourages people to have a more holistic perspective on their experiences and not just view them through the lens of objectivity but also through the lens of subjectivity. Overall, Husserl's perspective on consciousness helps add a personal layer to understanding consciousness.
References:
Beyer, C. (2022). Edmund Husserl. In E. N. Zalta & U. Nodelman (Eds.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2022). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2022/entries/husserl/
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