Memory and The Historicity of Human Existence

Abstract

In this paper we shall first look into the phenomena of memory as they are functioning quite naturally, life-worldly – and then, on that foundation, ask questions into the depth of the phenomena reflecting descriptively on the functions and structures that constitute the phenomena in a phenomenological manner, in its essence. The core of memory thus has to be decided, but then, as this is to be constituted, the context and the inter-related other functions in which the phenomena are interwoven, have to be taken into consideration as well. The whole field of relevant phenomena eventually leads to the question of human existence, now examined as a question of historicity founded in the life-world. Memory thus, closely connecting historicity, yields clues for examining (inner) time-consciousness in its various aspects. The point, then, is to “dismantle” the phenomena of memory so that both its obviousness and its radically transcendental significance can be further examined. Thus the solidity (and existence) of actuality proves interdependent on the functioning subjectivity living in a historical world, always transcending and (re)creating oneself/ourselves – yet keeping the identity of both ourselves and the things of the world relatively constant in the genuine sense of historical human existence.