Phenomenology
Phenomenology
Phenomenology is a philosophical method and movement (Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty) that investigates the structures of subjective, conscious experience. It aims to describe phenomena as they appear to consciousness, without presuppositions or external theories.
Why Phenomenology Matters
- Provides a rigorous way to explore and describe subjectivity and qualia.
- Focuses on the lived experience—how things feel from the inside, moment to moment.
- In writing, a phenomenological approach means immersing the reader in the character's sensory, emotional, and psychological world.
Key Concepts
- Intentionality: Consciousness is always about something (an object, sensation, memory, desire).
- Epoché: Suspending judgment about the external world to focus on pure experience.
- Intersubjectivity: The shared space where individual subjectivities overlap and meaning is negotiated.
- Lifeworld: The background of everyday experience that gives meaning to events and sensations.
Writing Tips
- Use first-person or close third-person point of view to access the character's lived experience.
- Describe not just what happens, but how it is felt—the textures, emotions, and bodily sensations.
- Let the narrative linger on moments of sensation, anticipation, or vulnerability.
Example
Example "She closed her eyes and let the world dissolve into the rhythm of his breath against her neck, the slow bloom of heat in her belly, the way her own heartbeat seemed to echo in the hush between them." Why it works: The example uses phenomenological detail to immerse the reader in the character's lived, embodied experience.