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Husserl’s Disciples: Dietrich von Hildebrand’s critique of relativism
In a previous post, I contrasted moral relativism with the value ethics of Dietrich von Hildebrand, a student of Edmund Husserl. In this post, I wish to consider von Hildebrand’s critique of relativism. As before, I encourage all my readers to turn to the phenomena themselves in order to either verify or invalidate von Hildebrand’s…
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The structure of the “noema”
In several previous posts (here and here), I have described two interpretations of Husserl’s crucial concept of the “noema,” offering problems with both interpretations. Some scholars maintain that when Husserl speaks of the noema, he is referring to a mental entity that is roughly equivalent to Frege’s “sense.” Others argue that by “noema” Husserl simply…
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Husserl’s Disciples: Dietrich Von Hildebrand on Value
The questions surrounding value, such as its nature and its relation to morality, have been asked and answered by philosophers in various ways throughout philosophical history. In particular, the issue of whether value is “objective” or “subjective” has caused much controversy in the last few centuries. Essentially, it comes down to this: is value a…
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What does it mean to be moral? Kant’s Categorical Imperative
The ethical theory of Immanuel Kant has, like his epistemology, altered the course of philosophical history. His categorical imperative in particular has been widely influential, even among those who reject it. Indeed, it does not seem inaccurate to say that to do moral philosophy one must either accept Kant or refute him; one cannot simply…
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The “noema” continued: difficulties with interpreting Husserl
In my last post, I introduced the concept of the “noema,” outlining two very different interpretations of it. On the one hand, the Fregean school of thought maintains that the noema for Husserl is essentially a mental entity that mediates our awareness of objects in the world. On the other hand, Gurwitsch argues that the…
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Into the Wilds of Thought: the Hunt for the Elusive “Noema”
In a previous post, I briefly discussed Husserl’s understanding of intentionality. This concept came to Husserl from the scholastics a la Franz Brentano, and it sets Husserl apart from most of the early modern philosophers. In essence, intentionality refers to the truth that all consciousness is, explicitly or implicitly, of something. As Dermot Moran writes,…
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How to be a Philosopher
What does it mean to be a philosopher? How does one philosophize? Throughout history, numerous answers to these questions have been given. For Plato, to do philosophy is to behold the Forms. For Marcus Aurelius, to be a philosopher is to act virtuously and embrace calm indifference in the face of circumstance. For Descartes, philosophy…
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Resources for Students and Thinkers: Immanuel Kant
When I was studying for my Master’s degree, I would constantly search the internet for resources on various philosophers. In particular, I was always on the lookout for audio resources, like lectures and audiobooks. Perhaps it is not for everyone, but I personally like to diversify my methods of study: for example, I will read…
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The Himalayas and the Lifeworld: a personal experience
For Edmund Husserl, doing philosophy is not an abstract academic exercise. It is not an activity that only occurs in lecture rooms and behind desks. On the contrary, to do philosophy is to return to lived experience in order to describe exactly what is found therein. Thus, it is preeminently concrete and even personal. Of…
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A War of Two Worlds: lifeworld and space-time
Since the advent of the modern age, we have lived in a divided cosmos, straddling two worlds. On the one hand, there is the world that precedes all theorizing, the world of ordinary experience, the realm of green grass, hot sand, fragrant flowers, and crashing waves. This is what Husserl calls the “Lifeworld.” On the…