Phenomenology: A Philosophy and Method of Inquiry

Sadruddin Bahadur Qutoshi

doi:10.22555/joeed.v5i1.2154

Abstract

<p> <em>Phenomenology as a philosophy and a method of inquiry is not limited to an approach to knowing, it is rather an intellectual engagement in interpretations and meaning making that is used to understand the lived world of human beings at a conscious level. Historically, Husserl’ (1913/1962) perspective of phenomenology is a science of understanding human beings at a deeper level by gazing at the phenomenon. However, Heideggerian view of interpretive-hermeneutic phenomenology gives wider meaning to the lived experiences under study. Using this approach, a researcher uses bracketing as a taken for granted assumption in describing the natural way of appearance of phenomena to gain insights into lived experiences and interpret for meaning making. The data collection and analysis takes place side by side to illumine the specific experience to identify the phenomena that is perceived by the actors in a particular situation. The outcomes of a phenomenological study broadens the mind, improves the ways of thinking to see a phenomenon, and it enables to see ahead and define researchers’ posture through intentional study of lived experiences. However, the subjectivity and personal knowledge in perceiving and interpreting it from the research participant’s point of view has been central in phenomenological studies. To achieve such an objective, phenomenology could be used extensively in social sciences.</em></p>

Highlights

Phenomenology as a philosophy provides a theoretical guideline to researchers to understand phenomena at the level of subjective reality
During the first decade of twentieth century, Edmond Husserl, a German philosopher became successful in his attempt to establish phenomenology as an approach to study lived experiences of human beings at the conscious level of understanding (Fochtman, 2008; Wojnar & Swanson, 2007)
Phenomenology is a “way of thinking about knowledge – a philosophical and theoretical viewpoint – how do we know what we know” (Bozzi, 1990; Mortari & Tarozzi, n.d., p.5). It is a methodological space within the social science research to study human phenomena at a deeper level of conscious to understand lived experiences

Summary

Introduction

Phenomenology as a philosophy provides a theoretical guideline to researchers to understand phenomena at the level of subjective reality. The researcher can adopt interviews, observations and discussions as data collection strategies within a phenomenological method of inquiry; phenomenology has both philosophical and methodological stances. To this end, one needs to understand it from a historical and philosophical stand point. During the first decade of twentieth century, Edmond Husserl, a German philosopher became successful in his attempt to establish phenomenology as an approach to study lived experiences of human beings at the conscious level of understanding (Fochtman, 2008; Wojnar & Swanson, 2007). In addition to its descriptive nature to give a wider meaning to the lived experiences under study as the core of phenomenological research is to know about the phenomena under study through consciousness (Creswell, 2007)

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion