Introduction to Phenomenology

Rating:
Summary: Just like in person...
Review: I have had the opportunity of having Dr. Sokolowski as a professor and this book is as clear and concise as his lectures. He is just as interested making sure you understand what he is saying as he is in the subject itself. That is a rare thing nowadays when people tend to be more interested in being heard rather than being understood.

Rating:
Summary: Back to the things themselves ...
Review: I'll agree up front with the rest of the reviews: Sokolowski's text is accessible, clear, written in simplistic style, and assumes no familiarity with philosophy. In the introduction he describes the book's genesis as a challenge by a colleague to write a straight-forward account of phenomenology without utilizing textual criticism or the history of ideas. This is exactly what Sokowloski does, and the result is strange, misleading, and highly manipulative.

But first off, is it edifying? To some extent, yes. Sokowloski's book is a helpful, if reductive, general introduction to the phenomenology of Husserl. It smooths over contradictions, relies on a static definition of his work (which changed dramatically over his lifetime), and abandons any discussion of context - but nevertheless, I think it serves as a useful introduction to Husserl for the philosopher and non-philosopher alike. Note, however, that the book does not claim to be an introduction to Husserl. And therein lies one of its major problems.

Reading this book will in no way facilitate an understanding of Heidegger, Levinas, Sartre, Derrida, or anyone loosely grouped under the phenomenological label. Most importantly, you will not encounter Heidegger's transformative critiques of Husserl.

Yet I still might recommend this book if it weren't for the interpretive damage Sokolowski does in the name of simplification. Heidegger, of course, is notorious for his analysis of interpretation as "violent," and Sokolowski is a case in point. Those of you wondering whether Sokolowski's affiliation (he teaches at the Catholic University of America) colors his analysis - let me warn you, it most surely does. The most repugnant case is when he uses a discussion of the lebenswelt (life-world) to suggest that phenomenology as a discipline is by necessity right-to-life (as in, opposed to abortion). Whether or not a fetus possesses consciousness may be an interesting question, but phenomenology would not hold this as a valid scientific enquiry, and by no stretch of the imagination does it have anything to say about the subject of abortion.

Beware of books that avoid references in the name of clarity. If you're truly interested in phenomenology check out (for non-philosophers) the comic book Introduction to Heidegger or (for philosophers) Dermot Moran's fantastic Introduction to Phenomenology.

Rating:
Summary: Severely faulty introduction
Review: I'll agree up front with the rest of the reviews: Sokolowski's text is accessible, clear, written in simplistic style, and assumes no familiarity with philosophy. In the introduction he describes the book's genesis as a challenge by a colleague to write a straight-forward account of phenomenology without utilizing textual criticism or the history of ideas. This is exactly what Sokowloski does, and the result is strange, misleading, and highly manipulative.

But first off, is it edifying? To some extent, yes. Sokowloski's book is a helpful, if reductive, general introduction to the phenomenology of Husserl. It smooths over contradictions, relies on a static definition of his work (which changed dramatically over his lifetime), and abandons any discussion of context - but nevertheless, I think it serves as a useful introduction to Husserl for the philosopher and non-philosopher alike. Note, however, that the book does not claim to be an introduction to Husserl. And therein lies one of its major problems.

Reading this book will in no way facilitate an understanding of Heidegger, Levinas, Sartre, Derrida, or anyone loosely grouped under the phenomenological label. Most importantly, you will not encounter Heidegger's transformative critiques of Husserl.

Yet I still might recommend this book if it weren't for the interpretive damage Sokolowski does in the name of simplification. Heidegger, of course, is notorious for his analysis of interpretation as "violent," and Sokolowski is a case in point. Those of you wondering whether Sokolowski's affiliation (he teaches at the Catholic University of America) colors his analysis - let me warn you, it most surely does. The most repugnant case is when he uses a discussion of the lebenswelt (life-world) to suggest that phenomenology as a discipline is by necessity right-to-life (as in, opposed to abortion). Whether or not a fetus possesses consciousness may be an interesting question, but phenomenology would not hold this as a valid scientific enquiry, and by no stretch of the imagination does it have anything to say about the subject of abortion.

Beware of books that avoid references in the name of clarity. If you're truly interested in phenomenology check out (for non-philosophers) the comic book Introduction to Heidegger or (for philosophers) Dermot Moran's fantastic Introduction to Phenomenology.

Rating:
Summary: a-historical
Review: In its opening Sokolowski relates by anecdote that this book will take an approach to phenomenology analogous to that which mathematicians take to their field. That is, build upon the work of past practioners and contribute to the wealth of the field itself. Although this approach has its merits, phenomenology is an extremely diverse strain of philosophy--consider the difference between that of Sartre and Husserl--and Sokolowski's approach to it in this introduction is not all that revealing. You may learn quite alot about his thoughts on phenomenology, but not the phenomenological tradition. Phenomenology is not a consistent method with consistent subject matter and consistent results, as is math. Different phenomenologists conceived of phenomenology differently and applied it differently, and this cannot be ignored. I would recommend the Dermot Moran Intro. to Phenomenology. It is historically based and very thorough. Philosophy is NOT math, and it is best studied in its historical context and through the philosophers from which it came.

Rating:
Summary: thorough and readable
Review: Introduction to Phenomenology does a fine job of getting you started in phenomenology. It meticulously specifies the key themes (parts and wholes, identity in manifolds, absence and presence) and then carefully leads you through them. The fundamental, difficult-to-grasp ideas of intentionality, epoche and time consciousness are treated thoroughly and at an introductory level. The book follows a practice common in good math texts of returning again and again to the main themes, each time armed with more powerful tools.

As a rule, I never read just one introduction to any topic. No matter how good your first choice is, you need a separate perspective. In this case I recommend Natanson's Edmund Husserl: Philosopher of Infinite Tasks. The two books are complementary. Natanson's book is rich and inspirational, but Sokolowski's book is a better introduction. Introduction to Phenomenology is also motivational; it extols the benefits of phenomenology while noting it does not conflict with the objective body of science.

I keep rereading Introduction to Phenomenology and finding fresh insights. But the goal for me was to move on and read Husserl, in the excellent translations found, for example, in Donn Welton's The Essential Husserl. It is in Husserl's work that you find the mother lode of phenomenology. After mastering his vocabulary (via Sokolowski), you discover that Husserl writes carefully, methodically and clearly. At some point, you will even find Husserl easier to follow than most interpretive texts. So read Introduction to Phenomenology as the best first step in understanding phenomenology.

Side note: I personally 'discovered' phenomenology in Gian-Carlo Rota's Indiscrete Thoughts and in Sokolowski's Foreword to that book. Thank you for that, Professor Sokolowski.

Rating:
Summary: The Meat-n-Potatoes of Phenomenology
Review: Perhaps the most important philosophical movement in the 20th century, phenomenology is also one of the more abstruse and varied disciplines in philosophy. Indeed, it would be quite difficult to give a definitive description of what phenomenology is, as defined by the multifarious practitioners, and an onerous task of sifting through the thousands of pages of primary texts. Moreoever, as I can attest, encountering a phenomenological text for the first time is a daunting experience, like trying to navigate through a large city without a map or guide. While there are several good introductory texts on phenomenology in general (Moran's for example), and many texts discussing the many phenomenologists, Sokolowski has graciously and generously given us a very general and useful introduction to the basic structures of phenomenology as a method. To this extent, Sokolowski's book is strongly Husserlian and, in some aspects, echoes in simplistic terms his very good 1974 book, Husserlian Meditations. This, however, is not to be taken as a deficit. To the contrary, Husserl is the recognized father of phenomenology, and also a writer of terse and often impenetrable verse. Thus, it behooves anyone wishing to begin to study phenomenology to get the gist first before delving into the more difficult texts.

What Sokolowski has done for us is to simply explain phenomenology in much the same way one would explain their hobby or a good book they have read. That is to say that it is casual and clear, and very helpful and informative, without an excess of jargon or unnecessary info. However, Sokolowski does go through pains to clarify and define the terminology implcit in phenomenology, e.g., terms such as noetic, noema, parts, wholes, eidetic intuition, etc.

I cannot agree with one of the reviewers below, who claims that an introduction to phenomenology ought to be historical. For as much as phenomenology evolved since Husserl, it is indeed important to see it in such an historical context, however, when considering phenomenology simply as a method one does not need to know how it was transformed by Heidegger or Sartre. Further, I cannot help but feel comparison to Dermot Moran's sweeping and powerful Introduction to Phenomenology to be misguided; in either case the intentions are different. Besides, Sokolowski does mention the variations of phenomenology over the past century. All the same, the province of Sokolowski's book is an attempt to help us understand HOW TO DO PHENOMENOLOGY, as opposed to other aspects of phenomenolgy such as its history and context.

Rating:
Summary: The Meat-n-Potatoes of Phenomenology
Review: Perhaps the most important philosophical movement in the 20th century, phenomenology is also one of the more abstruse and varied disciplines in philosophy. Indeed, it would be quite difficult to give a definitive description of what phenomenology is, as defined by the multifarious practitioners, and an onerous task of sifting through the thousands of pages of primary texts. Moreoever, as I can attest, encountering a phenomenological text for the first time is a daunting experience, like trying to navigate through a large city without a map or guide. While there are several good introductory texts on phenomenology in general (Moran's for example), and many texts discussing the many phenomenologists, Sokolowski has graciously and generously given us a very general and useful introduction to the basic structures of phenomenology as a method. To this extent, Sokolowski's book is strongly Husserlian and, in some aspects, echoes in simplistic terms his very good 1974 book, Husserlian Meditations. This, however, is not to be taken as a deficit. To the contrary, Husserl is the recognized father of phenomenology, and also a writer of terse and often impenetrable verse. Thus, it behooves anyone wishing to begin to study phenomenology to get the gist first before delving into the more difficult texts.

What Sokolowski has done for us is to simply explain phenomenology in much the same way one would explain their hobby or a good book they have read. That is to say that it is casual and clear, and very helpful and informative, without an excess of jargon or unnecessary info. However, Sokolowski does go through pains to clarify and define the terminology implcit in phenomenology, e.g., terms such as noetic, noema, parts, wholes, eidetic intuition, etc.

I cannot agree with one of the reviewers below, who claims that an introduction to phenomenology ought to be historical. For as much as phenomenology evolved since Husserl, it is indeed important to see it in such an historical context, however, when considering phenomenology simply as a method one does not need to know how it was transformed by Heidegger or Sartre. Further, I cannot help but feel comparison to Dermot Moran's sweeping and powerful Introduction to Phenomenology to be misguided; in either case the intentions are different. Besides, Sokolowski does mention the variations of phenomenology over the past century. All the same, the province of Sokolowski's book is an attempt to help us understand HOW TO DO PHENOMENOLOGY, as opposed to other aspects of phenomenolgy such as its history and context.

Rating:
Summary: Back to the things themselves ...
Review: Phenomenolgy as a movement focuses on getting back to the things themselves. This does not mean objects themselves by themselves but the basic structures of consciousness that allow beings to appear. Robert Sokolowski's book is unparalleled as an introduction to phenomenology, because he shows what phenomenology is by doing it and thereby getting back to the things themselves. Rather than being a work of historical scholarship, the book introduces readers to the practice of phenomenology as a living manner of philosophical reflection.

Dermot Moran's Introduction to Phenomenology, a historical overview of the movement, is an excellent complement to Sokolowski's book. It would be, however, a very poor substitute for it.

Sokolowski does not speak as Husserl, as Heidegger, or as Merleau-Ponty. He speaks as himself, a practiced phenomenologist, who sees phenomenology as a means of articulating the world and its structures. And he invites others to join him in this pursuit as fellow agents of truth.

Rating:
Summary: Robert Sokolowski, Introduction to Phenomenology
Review: Sokolowski's Introduction to Phenomenology admirable performs the work of an introduction. On the one hand, it strives to dispel misconceptions; this is necessary, since where misconceptions exist it is unlikely that an acquaintance will follow an introduction; or, that where it does, it will get off on the right foot. The misconceptions have chiefy to do with Phenomenology's lexicon-the terms it has developed for itself so as to make possible its particular way of looking at the world and the self. These include: intentionality, parts and wholes, identities in manifolds, presence and absence; transcendental reduction, transcendental ego, internal time consciousness, life world, and eidetic intuition.

In addition to being rather forbidding, this list (which corresponds to the way Sokolowski introduces the topics on it in his Introduction) of itself suggests why misconceptions exist, both about the words themselves and about Phenomenology as a philosophy. All the words on it have a stain of romanticism in them, no doubt because in reacting against rationalism and empiricism, Phenomenology incorporated the romanticism that is lodged at their core into itself. But as that romanticism-the romanticism of the solitary figure who knows and judges in terms of feeling-is unrecognized by them, so it incidental to Phenomenology.

Moving from the one hand to the other, and from the negative to the positive, Sokolowski makes it clear that, as a modern philosophy-but a modern philosophy with a difference-Phenomenology seeks to recover the world and the self that modern philosophy, in its rationalist and empericist versions, lost. It seeks to recover the world or the cosmos as a thing that is able to disclose the truth about itself and the self as the agent of truth.

This recovery has the effect of giving dignity back to human beings. (There is poignant and compelling-indeed, even a passionate-description of this dignity, and of what is lost when it is lost on pp. 120-21, though, unfortunately, it is too long to quote here.) The recovery opens, or reopens, the door to the pleasures of philosophy: the pleasures of grasping essential truth, and of sharing thought and speech about it. Conversely, it relieves one of the two main burdens imposed by much modern philosophy: first, the burden of trying to say everything, and second, the burden of trying to unsay everything.

Finally, Sokolowski observes that, in his judgment, Phenomenology is the first philosophy to introduce and work with the formal structures of presence and absence; and he attributes their introduction to the fact that Phenomenology sought to overcome the epistemological dead-end reached in modern thought (i. e. that "in here" and "out there" are forever separate and silent toward one another). Perhaps the reason Phenomenology did this is that modern philosophy, with its view that the foundation and limit of thought is perception, forced so many things into absence that the notion of absence needed to be introduced to get them back.

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Point of Entry
Review: Sokolowski's work is the perfect point of entry into a complex school of thought. Although written primarily from a Husserlian perspective, it will inspire the neophyte to pursue phenomenology in its fullness. The reader will close the final page of this book eager to see the world in a new light.