The Importance of William James’ Theory of “Fringes” to the Constitution of a Phenomenology of Perception
Abstract
This paper focus on the phenomenological theories of perception and intuitive acts in general, and aims to show the relevance of William James’ concept of fringe to understand them. Although Husserl claims that James’ analysis were carried on without the phenomenological reduction and were thus biased by psychological and physiological prejudices, the paper stresses the high value of those analysis: James’ intended to remain faithful to the meaning of lived experience and avoided any considerations where descriptions could be entangled with uncriticized philosophical theories (e.g. about the nature of brain states). The paper also aims to show that James’ importance for Husserl could be extended beyond the explanation of acts intending singular individuals to the acts intending universal objectivities and essences.
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GUILLAUME, Paul (1937), La Psychologie de la Forme. Paris : Flammarion.
GURWITCH (1957), Aron, Théorie du Champ de la Conscience (trad. Michel Butor). Paris : Desclée de Brouwer.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1950a), Cartesianische Meditationen (Husserliana I). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1950b), Die Idee der Phänomenologie (Husserliana II). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1950c), Ideen zu einer reinen Phänomenologie und phänomenologischen Philosphie (Husserliana III). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1954), Die Krisis der europäischen Wissenschaften und die transzendentale Phänomenologie (Husserliana VI). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1966), Analysen zur passiven Synthesis (Husserliana XI). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1968), Phänomenologische Psychologie (Husserliana IX). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1973), Ding und Raum (Husserliana XVI). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1974), Formale und transzendentale Logik (Husserliana XVII). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1977), Phenomenological Psychology (trans. John Scanlon), The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1982), Ideas pertaining to a Pure Phenomenology and Phenomenological Philosophy (trad. Fred Kersten). The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1984a), Logische Untersuchungen, Zweiter Band, Erster Teil (Husserliana XIX/1). Den Haag: Martinis Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1984b), Logische Untersuchungen, Zweiter Band, Zweiter Teil (Husserliana XIX/2). Den Haag: Martinis Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1984c), Einleitung in die Logik und Erkenntnistheorie (Husserliana XXIV). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
HUSSERL, Edmund (1999), Erfahrung und Urteil. Hamburg: Felix Meiner.
HUSSERL, Edmund (2012), Zur Lehre vom Wesen und zur Methode der eidetischen Variation (Husserliana XLI). Dordrecht / Heidelber / New York / London: Springer Verlag.
JAMES, William (1909), Textbook of Psychology; French trans., Précis de Psychologie. Paris: Marcel Rivière.
MCINTYRE, Ronald and SMITH, David Woodruff (1989), «Theory of Intentionality». In J. H. Mohanty and William R. McKenna (ed.), Husserl’s Phenomenology: a Textbook, Washington (DC): Center for Advanced Research in Phenomenology and University Press of America, pp. 147-179.
MOHANTY, J. H. (2005), «Husserl’s concept of intentionality», in Rudolf Bernet / Donn Welton / Gina Zavolta (ed.), Edmund Husserl, Critical Assessments of Leading Philosophers, Vol. III. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 3-30.
WITTGENSTEIN, Ludwig (2014), Últimos escritos sobre a Filosofia da Psicologia (trad. de António Marques, Nuno Venturinha e João Tiago Proença). Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Published
2017-10-31
How to Cite
MORUJÃO, Carlos Aurélio.
The Importance of William James’ Theory of “Fringes” to the Constitution of a Phenomenology of Perception.
Phainomenon, [S.l.], n. 26, p. 117-138, oct. 2017.
ISSN 2183-0142.
Available at: <http://phainomenon-journal.pt/index.php/phainomenon/article/view/351>. Date accessed: 25 mar. 2025.
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