fifth meditation

8/8/2019 Fifth Meditation

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Ma n a n d Wo rld 1 5, 2 6 5 -2 8 4 (19 8 2) 0 0 2 5 -1 5 3 4 / 8 2 / 0 3 / 0 2 6 5 -2 0 $ 0 0 .2 0 /09 Martinus N ijh o ff Publishers, The Hague. Prin ted in the Netherlands

H U S S E R L ' S F I F T H M E D I T A T I O N

PETER HUTCHESON

Southwest Texas State Universi ty

A l t h o u g h t h e r e i s a g re a t d e a l o f l it e r a t u r e o n H u s s e r l ' s a t t e m p t , i n t h e f i f t h

m e d i t a t io n , t o c o m e t o g ri ps w i t h t h e p r o b l e m o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y ,i n s u f f i c i e n t

a t t e n t i o n h a s b e e n p a i d t o t h e a r g u m e n t s t h e r e i n . I t s e e m s t h a t s o m e c o m -

m e n t a t o r s b e c a m e s o p r e o c c u p i e d w i t h t h e p a r t ic u l a r s o f H u s s e r l ' s a n a l y si s

t h a t t h e y o v e r l o o k e d th e o s t e n s ib l e j u s ti f ic a t io n f o r s o m e o f t h e k e y p o s i ti o n s .

T h i s p a p e r i s a n e f f o r t to p r o v i d e t h a t n e e d e d a t t e n t i o n i n t h e f o r m o f a c a re -

f u l a n d c r it ic a l a s s e s s m e n t o f H u s s e r l' s a r g u m e n t s i n th e f i f th m e d i t a t i o n .

S i nc e I h a v e w r i t t e n a b o u t t h e p r o b l e m o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y e l se w h e r e , 1 t h i s

p a p e r w i ll b e a b o u t H u s s e r l ' s s o l u t i o n e x c l u s iv e l y . B u t a s u m m a r y o f m y c o n -c l u s i o n s c o n c e r n i n g t h e p r o b l e m i s n e c e s s a r y b e f o r e d i s c u s s i n g H u s s e r l ' s

s o l u t i o n .

I a r g u e d t h a t t h e p r o b l e m o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y i s n o t i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e

p r o b l e m o f o t h e r m i n d s , s in c e H u s s er l d o e s n o t a t t e m p t t o p r o v e t h e e x i s te n c e

o f a n y t h i n g i n t h e f i f t h m e d i t a t i o n . R a t h e r , H u s s e rl w a n t s to c l a ri f y t h e s e n s e

o f ' o t h e r s u b j e c t s ' b y c a r e f u l ly d e s c r i b in g a n d a n a l y z in g t h e p a r a d i g m c a se o f

t h o s e c o n d i t i o n s u n d e r w h i c h w e b e l ie v e t h e e x p r e s s i o n h a s a p p l i c a t i o n - t h a t

is , w h e n w e b e l i e v e w e p e r c e i v e s o m e o n e e l s e. B u t m u c h m o r e is in v o l v e d , a s a

n u m b e r o f p a s s a g e s i n F o r m a l a n d T r a n s c e n d e n t a l L o g ic an d C a r t e s i a n

M e d i t a t i o n s s h o w , f o r H u s s e r l t r i e s t o c l a r i f y t h e s e n s e a n d s t a t u s o f p h e n o -

m e n o l o g y i t s e l f b y a d d r e s si n g t h e p r o b l e m o f i n t e r s u b j e c t iv i t y . 2 H u s s e rl a i m s

f o r a s e t o f w h a t h e c alls " o b j e c t i v e l y v a li d r e s u l t s " , a n u m b e r o f r e s u lt s t h a t

c a n b e r e f i n e d b y a n d w i t h s t a n d i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e c r i t i c i s m . A n y t r u t h s t h a t

c o m p r i s e p h e n o m e n o l o g y m u s t b e t r u t h s t h a t c o u l d b e r e c o g n iz e d as s u c h b y

o t h e r r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t s i f t h e r e a re s u c h s u b j e c ts . W h a t e v e r j u s t i f ic a t i o n t h e r e

i s f o r p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l p o s i t i o n s m u s t b e r e c o g n i z a b l e as s u c h b y o t h e r

r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t s if t h e r e a r e o t h e r s . T h e p o s s i b i li ty o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n f it s

i n t o t h i s p a t t e r n a s w e l l.

T h e a n t e c e d e n t , ' i f t h e r e a re o t h e r s ' , is i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e t h e p h e n o m e n o -

l o g ic a l r e d u c t i o n r e q u i re s n e u t r a l i t y a s t o w h e t h e r t h e r e a r e ( o r a re n o t )

o the r s . T he ad j ec t ive ' r a t i on a l ' is s ign i f i can t , t oo , a s on ly t hose poss ib l e sub-

j e c t s t h a t c a n d o t h i n g s a s s o c i a te d w i t h r a t i o n a l i t y ( s u c h a s r e c o g n i z e re l e v a n t

e v i d e n c e ) a r e r e l e v a n t t o c l a r if i c a ti o n o f t h e s e n s e an d s t a t u s o f p h e n o m e n -



2 6 6

o l o g y . T o t h i s t h e a d j e c ti v e ' t r a n s c e n d e n t a l ' s h o u l d b e a d d e d , s in c e H u s s e r l

w a n t s t o c l a ri f y t h e s en s e o f ' o t h e r s u b j e c t s ' r e la t iv e t o w h i c h t h e r e c a n b e a n

o b j e c t i v e w o r l d o r o b j e c t i v e l y v a li d r e s ul ts f o r u s a t a ll . 3 I t s h o u l d b e c l e a r

t h a t I i n t e r p r e t t h e f i f th m e d i t a t i o n a s a p r e l u d e t o s o m e o f H u s s e rl 's a n a ly s e s

o f h i s o w n e n t e r p r i s e , e s p e c i a ll y t h o s e i n F o r m a l a n d T r a n s c e n d e n t a l Lo g ic .

W e a re n o w i n a p o s i t i o n t o o u t l i n e t h e a i m o f th i s p a p e r . T h e f ir s t o r d e r

o f bus ine s s i s t o t ake a c lo se l ook a t Husse r l ' s f ir s t s t ep i n ad d r e s s in g t he

p r o b l e m , w h i c h h e c a lls t h e " r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h er e o f o w n n e s s " . W h a t is

i t ? A n d h o w d o e s i t p l a y a r o l e i n H u s s e r l 's s t ra t e g y ? S e c o n d l y , w e s h a ll c o n -

s id e r H u s se r l' s a r g u m e n t s f o r t w o k e y p o s i t io n s : ( 1 ) t h a t o n e ' s c o n s c i o u s n e ss

o f a n o t h e r s u b j ec t m u s t b e " m e d i a t e " , a n d ( 2 ) o n e ' s i d e n t i f ic a t i o n o f w h a t

o n e t a k e s t o b e a n o t h e r s u b j e c t a s a n o t h e r s u b j e c t m u s t b e d e r i v e d f r o m o n e ' s

o w n c a se . J u s t w h a t d o e s H u s s e rl m e a n b y ' m e d i a t e ' a n d a s so c i a te d te r m s ?W h a t is t h e j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r th e f ir s t t h e s is ? S i n c e t h e s e c o n d t h e s i s re s e m b l e s

a k e y p r e m i s e i n t h e a n a l o g i c a l a r g u m e n t f o r o t h e r m i n d s , a c a r e f u l e x a m i n -

a t i o n o f i ts m e a n i n g a n d t h e r e a s o n s f o r it is c e r t a i n ly i n o r d e r . T h e n w e s h a ll

b e a b l e t o a ss es s t h e f i f t h m e d i t a t i o n a s a w h o l e . I s t h e f i f t h m e d i t a t i o n a n

a c c e p t a b l e p r e l u d e t o H u s s e rl 's a n a l y s e s o f p h e n o m e n o l o g y itse lf?.

I . T h e S p he re o f O w n n e ~

H u s s e r l 's f i rs t m o v e i s t o p e r f o r m w h a t h e c al ls a " r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e re o f

o w n n e s s " . W h a t is t h e m o t i v e f o r t h is s t ep ? J u s t w h a t d o e s ' t h e r e d u c t i o n t o

t h e s p h e re o f o w n n e s s ' m e a n ? W h a t , s pe c if ic a l ly , d o e s ' t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s '

m e a n ? I sh a ll m a i n t a i n t h a t s o m e o f H u s s e r l' s s t a t e m e n t s a b o u t t h e r e d u c t i o n

t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s a r e m i s l e a d in g . I s h a ll t h e n a r g u e t h a t t h e s p h e r e o f

o w n n e s s , i n s o f a r a s w e c a n m a k e s e ns e o f i t , is s o m e t h i n g t h a t is a l r e a d y

y i e l d e d b y t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n a n d t h a t , c o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e s o -

c a ll e d " r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s is n o t a n e w r e d u c t i o n a t al l.

L e t u s c o n s i d e r a c o u p l e o f t h e p r o p o s e d m o t i v e s f o r p e r f o r m i n g t h e s o -

c a ll ed " s e c o n d e p o c h 6 " . R i c o e u r s a y s t h a t t h e r e a re tw o m o t i v e s . F i rs t ,

Since the O ther figures as a special transcendence, the tem pta tion to hypostatize this

transcendence m ust be thrust aside throu gh an abstention appropriate to this temp tation .This Husserl calls 'redu ction to the sphere of ow nness. ' 4

B u t i f t h i s w e r e t h e m o t i v e , t h e n , s i n c e t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n i n -

c l u d es a b s ta i n in g f r o m p o s i ti n g o r d e n y i n g t h e e x i st e n c e o f o t h e r s , th e

r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e re o f o w n n e s s w o u l d b e n o t h i n g o v e r a n d a b o v e p h e n o -

m e n o l o g i c a l e p o c h 6 . H o w e v e r , H u s s e r l t a k e s t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f

o w n n e s s t o b e a n a d d i t i o n t o t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n , s

R i c o e u r t h i n k s t h a t t h e r e is a n o t h e r m o t i v e , t h a t o f a l lo w i n g H u s s e rl t o

p u t t h e p r i m a r y a n d s e c o n d a r y s en se s o f t h e w o r d ' m e ' i n c o r re c t o r d e r ( A H P ,

p p . 1 2 0 - 2 1 ) . T h i s se c o n d p r o p o s a l , h o w e v e r , is n o t a l t o g e t h e r c le a r, s in c e I



26 7

d o n o t i d e n t i f y a n o t h e r s u b je c t a s a s e c o n d " m e " , a n o t h e r s u b j e ct b e i n g p r e -

cisely not m e . R i c o e u r p r o b a b l y m e a n s ' c o n s c i o u s n e s s ' b y 'm e ' , s in c e H u s se r l

p r o c e e d s t o s a y th a t m y o w n c o n s c i o u s n e s s is t h e o r ig i na l f r o m w h i c h 1 d e r iv e

the sense ' consc ious sub je c t ' (CM , p . 112 ) . Bes ides my se l f , on ly ano the r

sub jec t co u ld r e fe r t o o r r egard h im se l f i n t he accusa t ive as "m e" . I sha l l t ry

t o s h o w t h a t H u s s e r l 's " s e c o n d e p o c h S " is l in k e d w i t h a n o r d e r in g o f p r o b l e m s

r a t h e r t h a n s en se s o f ' m e ' .

E l l i s ton has s t i l l ano ther p roposa l . He th inks tha t t he second reduc t ion i s

a n a t t e m p t t o a v o id b e g g in g t h e q u e s t io n . 6 H i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i s n o t w i t h o u t

t e x t u a l s u p p o r t . A f t e r a ll, H u s s e rl i n t r o d u c e s t h e s e c o n d e p o c M b y w r i t in g

t h a t i t i s a r e q u i r e m e n t f o r c o r r e c t p r o c e d u r e r ig h t a f t e r n o t i n g th a t t h e c o n -

s t i t u t io n o f o t h e r s u b j e c ts a n d t h e s e ns e ' o t h e r s u b j e c t s ' a r e i n q u e s t i o n ( C M ,

p p . 9 2 - 9 3 ) . S o , H u s s e rl se e m s t o b e s a y in g t h a t s in c e t h o s e t h i n gs a r e inq u e s t io n , w e m u s t s t a r t b y e x c l u d in g t h e m ( i. e. , r e d u c e t o th e s p h e r e o f

o w n n e s s ) .

Al though there i s ev idence fo r E l l i s ton ' s i n t e rp re t a t ion , he and I d i sag ree

a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f t h e s o -c a ll ed " q u e s t i o n - b e g g i n g " . H e b el ie v e s t h a t t h e

p o i n t o f t h e s e c o n d r e d u c t i o n i s t o a v o i d p r e s u p p o s i n g the p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l

e p o c h ~ s o t h a t h is f o r m u l a t i o n o f t h e p r o b l e m a n d s o l u t i o n w il l n o t b e i n-

f e c t e d b y the m eth od u sed to so lve i t (H:E &A , p . 218 ) . Bu t Husser l cou ld

a v o id f o r m u l a t i n g a n d s o lv in g t h e p r o b l e m i n p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l t e r m s o n l y i f

t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e re o f o w n n e s s w e re e m p l o y e d instead o f p h e n o m e n o -l o gi c a l r e d u c t i o n . H o w e v e r , t h e t e x t s h o w s t h a t t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f

ownness i s u sed in addition t o p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n ( C M , p p . 9 5 a n d

148 ) . A cco rd ing ly , i f Husser l is t ry ing to avo id begg ing the que s t ion , E l l i s ton

has a t l eas t m i s iden t i f i ed the n a tu re o f i t.

M o r e o v e r , t h e r e is s o m e r e a s o n t o b e l ie v e th a t H u s s e r l w a s n o t t r y i n g t o d o

s o , s in c e s o m e t h i n g c a n b e g t h e q u e s t i o n o n l y i f it i s a n a r g u m e n t . A l t h o u g h

o n e f in d s a r g u m e n t s i n t h e f i f t h m e d i t a t i o n , i t w o u l d b e a m i s t a k e t o s a y th a t

t h e f i f t h m e d i t a t i o n a s a w h o l e is a n a r g u m e n t . R a t h e r , i t i s a n an a l y si s o f a

c e r t a i n k i n d o f e x p e r i e n c e a n d a c o r r e s p o n d i n g s e ns e , w h i c h H u s s e r l p r o b a b l y

rea l i zed . I t i s un l ike ly , t hen , t ha t Husser l was t ry ing to avo id begg ing the

q u e s t i o n .

I be l i eve tha t we sha l l be in a be t t e r pos i t i on to ascer t a in the ph i lo soph ica l

m o t i v e f o r t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s i f w e f in d o u t w h a t t h e

s e c o n d . e p o c h ~ a n d i ts c o r r e l a te ( th e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s ) a re . W h a t , t h e n , is

t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e re o f o w n n e s s ?

H u s s e r l i n t r o d u c e s t h e " s e c o n d e p o c M " i n t h e f o l lo w i n g m a n n e r .

F o r t h e p r e s e n t w e e x c l u d e f r o m t h e t h e m a t i c f i el d e v e r y t h i n g n o w i n q u e s t i o n : we dis-

regard all constitutional effects of intentionality relating immediately or mediately to

other subjectivity and delimit first of all the total nexus of that actual and potentialintentionality in which the ego constitutes within himselfa peculiar ownness. (CM , p. 93)

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h i s p a s sa g e is a m b i g u o u s . T h e r e a r e a c o u p l e o f p o ss i b le i n t e r-

p r e t a t i o n s . L e t u s c o n s i d e r e a c h o f t h e m i n tu r n .



2 68

F i rs t , w e m a y a s k " W h a t a r e t h e c o n s t i t u ti o n a l e f f e c t s o f o t h e r s u b j e c t-

i v i t y ? " T h a t a p p e a r s t o i n c lu d e e v e r y t h in g t h a t r e q u ir e s t h e s en s e ' o t h e r

sub jec t s ' fo r i t s cons t i t u t ion . Th i s wou ld inc lude a l l cu l tu ra l ob jec t s and the

senses co r respo nd ing to t hem . I t wou ld a l so inc lude phys i ca l ob jec t s and

na tu re as a wh o le (CM, p . 92 ) .

Bu t no t on ly th ings ( such as t ab l es and s tones ) r equ i re t he sense ' o th er

sub jec t s ' fo r t he i r con s t i t u t ion . I t r i ed to show b r i e f ly a t t he beg inn ing o f th i s

p a p e r t h a t e v i d e n ce a n d t r u t h d o , t o o . B u t i f t h is is c o n j o i n e d w i t h t h e f a c t

t h a t H u s s er l m a k e s p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l s ta t e m e n t s a b o u t t h e s p h e re o f o w n n e s s ,

t h e n H u s s e r l 's s t a t e m e n t t h a t all c o n s t i t u t i o n a l e f f e c t s , i m m e d i a t e o r m e d i a t e ,

a r e e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s a p p e a r s t o b e f al se . W h e n H u s s e rl

d e s c ri b e s t h e s p h e r e o f ow n n e s s , i t is t h e r e f e r e n t o f a n u m b e r o f p h e n o m e n o -

log ica l s t a t eme n t s . B u t i f t ha t i s so , t hen the ev idence fo r t hose s t a t em en t s is" t h e r e f o r e v e r y o n e " . B u t t h e e v i d e n c e f o r t h o s e s t a t e m e n t s i s d e r i v e d f r o m

t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s . T h u s , i t s e e m s t h a t t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s m u s t b e

" t h e r e f o r e v e r y o n e " , w h i c h d o e s n o t s q u a re w i t h t h e a s s e r t i o n t h a t a ll c o n -

s t i tu t i o n a l e f f e c t s o f o t h e r s u b j e c ts a r e e x c l u d e d .

I t i s impor t an t t o d i s t i ngu i sh th e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s f r o m a p a r t i c u l a r

s u b j e c t 's ( s a y , H u s s e r l 's ) s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s , f o r I m i g h t b e t a k e n t o b e s a y in g

t h a t e a c h p e r s o n ' s s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s m u s t b e n u m e r i c a l l y t h e s a m e as e v e r y -

one e l se 's . Even i f eac h p er son expe r i ences a wo r ld o f p r iva t e ob jec t s ( t ha t i s ,

a w o r l d o f o b j e c t s t h a t d o n o t r e q u i r e t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f o t h e r s u b j e c ts ) , m yp o i n t is th a t e a c h a n d e v e r y p e r s o n ' s s p h e re o f o w n n e s s m u s t b e th e s a m e in

k i n d , a n d r e c o g n i z a b l e a s s u c h , i f H u s s e r l ' s s t a t e m e n t s a b o u t t h e s p h e r e o f

o w n n e s s a r e c o r r o b o r a t e d b y e v i d e n ce . H u s s e rl e v e n s a y s t h a t e v e r y o n e h a s

access to th e sphere o f ownness l a t e i n t he f i f t h me d i t a t io n (CM, p . 145 ) .

T h u s , H u s s e rl p r o b a b l y d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t h e n o l o n g e r s u p p o s e s i t is p o s s ib l e

f o r o t h e r p o s s ib l e s u bj e c ts t o b e c o n s c i o u s o f t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s a f t e r p e r -

f o r m i n g t h e " s e c o n d e p o c h 6 " . B u t w h a t e ls e ar e w e t o m a k e o f H u s s e r l 's

s t a t e m e n t t h a t t h e s e n s e ' o b j e c t i v e ' v a n is h e s c o m p l e t e l y ( C M , p . 9 6 ) ?

O n l y a w o r l d o f p r i v a t e o b j e c t s w o u l d b e o b j e c t s t h a t d o n o t i n c l u d e t h e

c o n s t i t u t io n a l e f f e c t s o f o t h e r s u b j e c ts . B u t H u s s e r l s a y s t h a t o n e ' s e x p e r i e n c e

i s " w h o l l y u n a f f e c t e d " b y t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s (C M , p . 98 ) .

B u t i f m y e x p e r i e n c e i s w h o l l y u n a f f e c t e d , t h e n I c o n t i n u e t o e x p e r i e n c e

w h a t I t a k e t o b e a n i n t e r s u b je c t i v e w o r l d . P e rh a p s , t h e n , I h a v e m i s i n t e r p r e t e d

w h a t H u s s e rl m e a n s b y ' d is r e g a rd i n g a l l c o n s t i t u t i o n a l e f f e c t s o f o t h e r s u b -

j ec t iv i ty ' in t he par t i cu l a r passage be ing d iscussed . One th ing , how ever , is

c e r t a in : w e h a v e n o t m i s i n t e r p r e t e d t h e m e a n i n g o f ' th e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l e f f e c t s

o f o t h e r s u b j e c t i v i t y ' as H u s s e r t u s e s t h e p h r a s e t h r o u g h o u t h is w r i t in g s .

Husser l h imse l f r e fe r s t o t he sen tence we a re cons ider ing as "mis l ead ing"

(CM, p . 93 f ) .H o w c a n w e i n t e r p r e t H u s s er l' s s t a t e m e n t s s u c h t h a t t h e y d o n o t i m p l y a n

a b s u r d c o n c l u s i o n ? O n e m a y t r y t o d e f e n d H u s s e r l a l o n g t h e f o l lo w i n g l in e s .

H u s s e rl d o e s n o t s a y t h a t h e d o e s n o t m a k e u s e o f th e s e n se ' o t h e r s u b j e c t s ' i n

h is a n a l y se s , b u t s a y s t h a t h e e x c l u d e s t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f o t h e r



2 6 9

s u b j e ct s f r o m h i s t h e m e . O n e c a n m a k e u s e o f a c o n c e p t w i t h o u t d i sc u s si n g

i t .

T h i s le a d s t o t h e s e c o n d i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e m e a n i n g o f ' t h e c o n s ti -

t u t i o n a l e f f e c ts o f o t h e r s u b j e c t i v i ty ' .

W h a t i s s p e c i f ic a l l y p e c u l i a r t o m e a s e g o , m y c o n c r e t e b e i n g a s a m o n a d , purely in m yselfand for myself , w i t h a n e x e l u s i v e o w n n e s s , includes my every intentionality and there-

fore, in particular, the intentionality directed to w hat is other; but, for reasons of

m etho d, the syn thetic effect o f such intentionality ( t h e a c t u a li t y f o r m e o f w h a t i s o t h e r )

shall at first remain excluded fro m the theme. (CM , p. 94, last emphasis mine)

B u t i f t h e s y n t h e t i c e f f e c ts o f o t h e r s u b j e c t iv i t y ar e i d e n t ic a l w i t h t h e a c t u a l i t y

f o r m e o f w h a t is o t h e r , t h e n t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e re o f o w n n e s s is n o t h i n g

o v e r a n d a b o v e t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n . F o r i t is p r e c is e l y b y p h e n o -

m e n o l o g i c a l e p o c h ~ t h a t I a d o p t a n e u t r a l a t ti t u d e t o w a r d s w h a t I t o o k t o b e

a c t u a l i n t h e n a t u r a l s t a n d p o i n t . I t s h o u l d b e n o t e d t h a t t h i s r e a d in g s u p p o r t s

R i c o e u r ' s in t e r p r e t a t i o n , a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h H u ss e rl p e r f o r m s t h e " s e c o n d

e p o c M " i n o r d e r t o a v o id th e t e m p t a t i o n t o h y p o t h e s i z e t h e t ra n s c e n d e n c e

o f o t h e r s u b j e ct s ( A H P , p . 1 1 8 ) . T h i s re a d i n g al so s u p p o r t s m y i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ,

a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h t h e s o -c a ll ed " r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h er e o f o w n n e s s is n o t

a n o t h e r r e d u c t i o n a t a l l . 7

I t is n o t e w o r t h y t h a t H u s s e rl s a y s t h a t h e i s " e x c l u d i n g f r o m t h e t h e m e "

t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l e f f e c t s o f o t h e r s u b je c ts s o t h a t h e c a n " d e l im i t t h e t o t a ln e x u s o f a c t u a l a n d p o t e n t i a l c o n s c i o u s n es s w h e r e b y a n e g o c o n s t i t u t e s h is

o w n n e s s " ( C M , p . 9 3 ) . B u t t o d i sr e g ar d c e rt a i n p h e n o m e n a is n o t t o p e r f o r m

a r e d u c t i o n , s in c e o n e d i s re g a rd s c e r t a i n p h e n o m e n a e v e r y t i m e o n e a n a ly z e s

o n e t h i n g a s o p p o s e d t o a n o t h e r . T h u s , i f a sh i ft o f a t t e n t i o n w e r e a s u f f ic i e n t

c o n d i t i o n f o r b e in g a r e d u c t i o n , t h e r e w o u l d b e a r e d u c t i o n f o r e v e r y s u b j e c t

m a t t e r t o b e a n a l y z e d . S i n c e t h a t i s a b s u r d , t h e " r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h e r e o f

o w n n e s s i s n o t a n o t h e r r e d u c t i o n .

S t r ik i n g t h e d i s t in c t i o n b e t w e e n t w o s en s es o f t h e w o r d ' t r a n s c e n d e n c e '

w i ll e n a b le m e t o c o n f i r m t h is i n t e r p r e t a t i o n f u r th e r . S o m e t h i n g tr a n sc e n d s1s o m e o n e ' s c o n s c i o u s n e ss i f i t r e t a in s i ts i d e n t i t y t h r o u g h o u t h is a c tu a l a c ts o f

c o n s c i o u s n e s s . T h i s t a b le , f o r e x a m p l e , t r a n s c e n d s 1 m y c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n t h a t

i t is t h e s a m e t a b l e t h a t I c o u l d s e e i f I m o v e a b o u t t h e t a b le . S o m e t h i n g

t r a n s c e n d s , m y a c ts o f c o n s c io u s n e s s b y r e f e re r e n c e t o m y p o s s ib l e a c ts . B u t

i t is i m p o r t a n t t o n o t e t h a t a ll t h e s e a c t s, a c t u a l a n d p o s s i b l e , a re m i n e ( t h e

i n d i v i d u a l ' s ) . T h i s is n o t s o f o r t r a n s c e n d e n c % . T h e t a b l e t r a n s c e n d s 2 m y

c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n t h a t i t is th e s a m e t a b l e , t h e u n d e r s i d e o f w h i c h c o u l d b e

s e e n a t t h e s a m e t i m e t h a t I s e e o n l y it s t o p . H o w e v e r , i t is i m p o s s i b l e f o r m e

t o s e e t h e u n d e r s i d e a t t h e s a m e t i m e . O n l y a n o t h e r s u b j e c t c o u l d d o s o .

' T r a n s c e n d e n c e , ' , t h e n , m e a n s ' ir r e d u c ib l e t o o n e ' s a c t u a l a c t s o f c o n s c i o u s -

n e s s ', w h e r e as ' t r a n s c e n d e n c % ' m e a n s ' i r r e d u c ib l e t o o n e ' s p o s si b le a ct s '.

T r a n s c e n d e n c % a l o n e r e qu i re s t h e e x p l ic i t i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e se n se 'o t h e r

s u b j e c t ' i n t o t h e t h e m e . H u s s e r l is , o f c o u r s e , t r y i n g t o a c h i e v e , in p a r t , a

p h i l o s o p h i c a l c l a ri f ic a t io n o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n c % o f th e w o r l d a n d t h in g s in



27 0

i t. H ow does th is d i s t i nc t ion p er t a in to t he sphere o f own ness and the so -

c a l l e d " r e d u c t i o n " t o i t ?

T h e p o i n t o f t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s i s t o d e l im i t i n g e n e ra l

t e rms a l l and on ly tha t wh ich t r an scends1 an ind iv idua l ' s consc iousness . Bu t

t r a n s c e n d e n c % is y ie i d e d b y p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n a l o n e . L o n g b e f o r e

d i sc u s s io n o f t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s ( a n d p o s t - e p o c M ) ,

H u s s e rl r e f e r s to t h e sen se~ o f ' o b j e c t ' a n d ' w o r l d ' in t e r m s o f t r a n s c e n d e n c e l

( C M , p . 6 2 ) . H u s s er l o p e n s t h e f o u r t h m e d i t a t i o n w i t h t h e f o ll o w i n g s e n t e n c e :

" O b j e c t s e x i st f o r m e , a n d a r e f o r m e w h a t t h e y a r e , o n l y a s o b j e c t s o f a c t u a l

and poss ib l e co nsc ious ness" (CM, p . 65 ) . Husser l exp l i c i t l y l i nks the r educ t ion

t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s , t o t r a n s c e n d e n c e l ( C M , p. 1 0 4 ). S o , t h e r e is n o

d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l a n d s e c o n d e p o c M t o w a r r a n t

c a ll in g t h e s o -c a ll e d " r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s a n o t h e r r e d u c t i o n .E l l i s t o n a n d I c o n c u r i n t h i n k i n g t h a t " T h i s n e w e p o c M i s a s e l e c t i o n o f

p h e n o m e n a f r o m t h e f ie l d o f p h i l o s o p h ic a l i n q u i ry u n c o v e r e d e a r li e r b y t h e

p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n i n o r d e r to s o lv e a p a r t ic u l a r p r o b l e m " (H : E & A ,

p . 2 1 8 ) . B u t w e d i f f e r in t h a t I c o n t e n d t h a t a m e r e s e l e c ti o n o f p h e n o m e n a

d o e s n o t m a k e a re d u c t i o n .

W h e n H u s s e r l l e ad s u s to b e l i e v e t h a t h e p e r f o r m s a s e c o n d r e d u c t i o n , h e i s

ac tua l ly descr ib ing and de l im i t ing a ll and on ly tha t w h ich t ran scends1 h i s

consc iousness . Dav id C ar t and I ag ree on th i s m at t e r (PPH, p . 92 ) . The in t e r -

p r e t a t i o n o f t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s as n o t b e i n g a n o t h e rp h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r ed u c t io n is f u r th e r c o n f i r m e d b y p a r a g ra p h 9 6 a o f F o r ma l

and Transcendental Logic. The re Husser l d i scusses t r an scendence~ and the

s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s . A l t h o u g h H u s s e rl d oe s n o t u s e t h e e x p r e s s i o n ' s p h e r e o f

ow nness ' , h i s d i scuss ion o f t he " in t r in s i ca l ly f ir s t na tu re " i s a r e fe rence to t h e

s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s . B u t t h e r e H u s s e rl d o e s n o t e v e n men t i o n a n o t h e r r e d u c t i o n .~

B e f o r e t h e clarification ( b u t n o t p r i o r t o t h e use) o f th e c o n c e p t ' o t h e r

sub jec t ' , Husserl can ac cou n t fo r t ha t w h ich t r an scends1 h i s consc iousness . I

a d d " b u t n o t p r i o r t o t h e u s e" , s ince Husser l canno t p rov ide a ph i lo soph ica l ly

c l a r if i ed ac cou n t o f t he o b jec t iv i ty o f h is ana ly ses o f t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s

b e f o r e e x p l ic a t in g t h e s e n se ' o t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r a t io n a l s u b j e c t ' . H e m u s t ,

r a t h e r , m a k e u s e o f t h a t c o n c e p t , s u p p o s in g t h a t t h e t r u t h o f h is a n a ly s is is

" t h e r e f o r e v e r y o n e " . T h a t i s, H u s s e rl c a n a c c o u n t f o r t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s

p r i o r t o t h e a n a ly s is o f t h e s e n se ' o t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t ', b u t

c a n n o t a c c o u n t f o r h is account . This i s cons i s t en t , s ince Husser l mere ly ex -

c l u d e s f r o m h i s t h eme t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l e f f e c t s o f o t h e r s u b j e c t s . T h a t d o e s

n o t i m p l y t h a t t h e o b j e c t i v i t y o f H u s s e r l ' s a n a l y s e s i s n o t b e i n g t a k e n f o r

g r a n t e d . T h o s e e f f e c t s s im p l y - a r e n o t d i sc u s se d .

Thu s , t he re i s a nonv ic ious c i r cu la r i t y i n Hu sser l ' s c l a r i f i ca t ion o f t he co n -

s t i t u t io n o f o t h e r s u b je c t s . H e m u s t m a k e th e p h i l o s o p h ic a l p r e s u p p o s i t io nt h a t i f o t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r a t io n a l s u b j e c t s e x is t , th e y c a n c h e c k h i s a n a l y se s

a n d s e e t h a t t h e y a r e t r u e , w h i l e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y c l a r if y in g t h a t p r e s u p p o s i t i o n .

I s a y " n o n v i c i o u s " , s in c e I t a k e i t t o b e o b v i o u s t h a t o n e d o e s n o t h a v e t o



271

suppose tha t one ' s ana ly ses a re un tes t ab le i n o rder t o C la r i fy t he concep t

' t e s t a b i l i t y ' ( a n d t h e r e l a t e d c o n c e p t ' o t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t ' ).

W e h a v e s o m e a n s w e r s to t h e q u e s t i o n s t h a t w e p o s e d . W e w a n t e d t o k n o ww h a t t h e r e d u c t i o n t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s a n d it s c o r re l a t e a r e . W e h a v e

seen th a t t he sphere o f own ness i s every th ing tha t Can be con s idered as f al l ing

wi th in the scope o f one ' s ac tua l and poss ib l e consc iousness ; and the so -ca l l ed

" r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s is s i m p l y a f o c u s o n t ra n s c e n d e n c e 1 s o

t h a t t h e t r a n sc e n d e n c e 2 o f t h e w o r l d a n d H u s s e r l' s a n a l ys e s w i ll c o m e to t h e

f o r e , w h i c h m e a n s t h a t i t i s a l r e a d y y ie l d e d b y t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n

( P P H , p . 9 8 ) . I s a y " a l r e a d y y i e l d e d b y t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n " ,

s in c e o n e c a n a c c o u n t o n l y f o r t h a t w h i c h is w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f o n e ' s a c t u a l

a n d p o s s ib l e c o n sc i o u s n e ss i f o n e d o e s n o t i n t r o d u c e c o n s t i t u t i o n b y o t h e r s .

S i n ce H u s s e r l b e gi n s f r o m a n o b s t e n s i b l y " s o l i p s i s t i c " p o i n t o f v ie w p o s t -

p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n , h e d o e s n o t i n t r o d u c e c o n s t i t u t i o n b y o t h e r s

exp l i c i t l y p r i o r t o a n a n a ly s is o f t h e s e n se ' o t h e r s u b j e c t ' . 9

S i n ce t h e s o -c a ll e d " s e c o n d e p o c M " is n o t a r e d u c t i o n a t a ll, o n e m a y a s k

" W h a t i s t h e m o t i v e f o r th e d e s c r i p t io n o f w h a t c a n b e c o n s i d e re d a s tr a n s -

cend ing1 m y consc iousness? " D av id Car r has p rov ide d u s w i th a par t i a l an swer :

I n o r d e r t o p u t i n re l i e f t h e r o l e a n d n a t u r e o f t r a n s c e n d e n c % . I t h i n k t h a t

t h e r e is a n o t h e r b u t u n r e l a t e d m o t i v e , th a t o f a l lo w i n g H u s s e r l t o s t a t e t h e

p rob lems to be add ressed in t he i r co r rec t h i e ra rch ica l o rder . What i s t he

e v i d e n ce f o r t h is i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ?H u s s e r l w r i t e s t h a t h e m u s t d e l im i t " t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s o l i p s i sm " i n o r d e r t o

s e t o u t t h e p r o b l e m s o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y c o r r e c t l y (C M ,

p p . 3 0 - 3 1 ) . D e l i m i t in g " t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s o i p s i s m ' , o f c o u r s e , is d e s c r ib i n g a ll

and on ly tha t w h ich t r an scends1 one ' s consc iousness . Fu r the r , Husser l c lo ses

h i s d i sc u s s io n o f t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s b y i n d ic a t in g a h i e r a rc h y o f p r o b l e m s

t o b e a d d r e s s e d i n p a r a g r a p h 4 9 . H u s s e r l o p e n s p a r a g r a p h 5 0 b y s a y i n g t h a t

t h e a n a l y s is o f t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s is " v e r y i m p o r t a n t " i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r

se t t i ng ou t t he p rob lems . I sugges t , t hen , t ha t Husser l r egarded the descr ip t ion

o f t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s a s i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e i t is n e c e s s a r y i n o r d e r t os t a t e t he p rob lems o f i n t e r sub jec t iv i ty i n t he i r co r rec t o rder . Para l l e l passages

in F o r m a l a n d T r a n s c e n d e n t a l L o g i c s u b s t a n t i a t e t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ( F T L ,

p . 2 4 0 ) .

T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n c a n n o t b e p e r s u a s i v e , h o w e v e r , u n t i l I h a v e m a d e i t

c l ea r j u s t h o w t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s s u p p o s e d l y h e l p s o n e

s e t o u t t h e p r o b l e m s i n a h i e r a r c h y . A c c o r d i n g t o H u s s e r l , t h e " o w n n e s s -

red uc t ion " a l lows u s t o d i s t i ngu ish wha t is " f o u n d i n g " f r o m w h a t is " f o u n d e d " ,

t o d i s c e r n t h a t t h e w o r l d ' s b e i n g f o r m e i s a necessary c ond i t i on fo r i t s be ing

fo r us. A n d o n e m u s t a d d r e s s t h e p r o b l e m p e r t a in i n g t o th e f o u n d i n g " l e v e l "

o f c o n s t i tu t i o n b e f o r e p r o c e e d in g t o t h e f o u n d e d se t o f p r o b l e m s (C M , p . 1 0 6) .

T h u s , t h e f ir s t p r o b l e m i s "W h a t i s c o n s t i t u t e d s o l e ly b y m e ? " , w h e r e a s t h e

s e c o nd p r o b l e m is " H o w d o I c o n s t i tu t e " a n o t h e r e g o " ( a n y e go w h a t s o e v e r )

a s t ra n s c e nd i ng 1 m y c o n s c i o u s n e s s ? " T h e t h i rd p r o b l e m , t h e n , w o u l d b e



2 7 2

" H o w d o we ( t h e o t h e r e g o a n d I ) m a k e t r a n s c e n d e n c % , a n d t h u s t h e o b -

j e c t i v e w o r l d , p o s s i b l e ? " T h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s h e l p s u s to

d i s t in g u i s h b e t w e e n t h e f ir s t a n d s e c o n d q u e s t i o n s t o b e a d d r e s s ed , c l e a r l y .

S u p p o s e d l y , i t al so h e l p s us t o d i f f e r e n t i a t e b e t w e e n t h e s e c o n d a n d t h i r dp r o b l e m s , t o o . F o r I c o n s t i t u t e t h e o t h e r e g o ; a n d , a s c o n s t i t u t e d b y m e , h e i s

c o n s t i t u t e d o n l y a s t r a n s c e n d i n g l m y c o n s c i o u s n e s s.

What m us t be unders to od abou t th is whole acco unt i s tha t , while the a l te r ego makes i t

possible that t he ' r es t ' of the wo rld exceeds m y actual and possible consciousness, the

a l te r ego does no t himself exceed my actual and possible consciousness. That is , he is

descr ibed in the F i f th M edi ta t ion in th e same way tha t every th ing e lse was descr ibed

before the p rob lem of ' so l ips ism' was ra ised, nam ely , as t ranscenden t on ly in the weaker

sense: n ot reduc ible to the paIt icu lar act o r acts in which he is given to me. (PPH, p . 97)

T h a t i s, t h e d e l i m i t a t i o n o f a l l a n d o n l y t h a t w h i c h t r a n s c e n d s l m y c o n s c i o u s -

n e ss h e l p s u s t o a v o i d t h e c o n f u s e d b e l i e f t h a t w e c a n a c c o u n t f o r t h e t ra n s -

c e n d e n c % o f t h e a l t e r eg o w h i l e a d d r e s s in g t h e s e c o n d q u e s t i o n . W e s ee t h a t

t r a n s c e n d e n c % ( a n d t h u s t h e o b j e c t i v e w o r l d a n d t h in g s i n i t ) c a n b e a c -

c o u n t e d f o r o n l y a f t e r o n e b r i n g s c o - c o n s t i t u t o r s i n t o t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l

p i c t u r e . T h u s , t h e d e l i m i t a t i o n o f t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s p e r m i t s u s t o s ee

t h a t t h e r e s p o n s e t o t h e t h i r d q u e s t i o n i s a t l e a st a c o n s e q u e n c e o f a n sw e r i n g

t h e s e c o n d . 1~

T h e t h r e e q u e s t i o n s t h a t I d i s t i n g u i s h e d c o r r e s p o n d t o t h e p r o b l e m s th a t

H u s s e r l p r e s e n t s i n p a r a g r a p h 4 9 o f Cartesian Meditations ( CM , p p . 1 0 6 - 8 ) .

T h e r e i s a f o u r t h p r o b l e m , h o w e v e r ; o n e t h a t H u s s e r l d o e s n o t e m p h a s i z e i n

Cartesian Meditations, b u t w h i c h i s the p r o b l e m a s f a r a s a c l a r i f i c a t i o n o f

p h e n o m e n o l o g y i s c o n c e r n e d . I t is a " h i g h e r " q u e s t i o n , t h a t o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n

o f a t h e o r e t i c a l w o r l d .

Am ong th e h igher ques t ions a re those concerning the c ons t i tu t ion o f wha t we m ay ca l l a

theore t ica l wor ld : the wor ld t ru ly ex is ting in th e theore t ica l sense , o r the wor ld per ta in ing

to an u ncond i t iona l ly and Objec t ive ly va lid theore t ica l cogn i t ion . (FTL , p . 243)

T h i s p r o b l e m d o e s n o t p e r t a i n s i m p l y t o t h e o b j e c t i v e w o r l d , b u t t o a n y

w o r l d t h a t i s c o n s t i t u t e d t h e o r e t i c a l l y . T h i s i n c l u d e s t h e p r o v i n c e s o f m a t h e -

m a t i c s , l o g ic , a n d p h e n o m e n o l o g y , n o n e o f w h i c h i s i d e n t i c a l w i t h i n t e r-

s u b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y .

L e t u s c l a r if y j u s t h o w t h is is a h ig h e r - o r d e r q u e s t i o n . A t h e o r e t i c a l w o r l d

i s a n y w o r l d o f w h i c h o n e c a n h a v e o b j e c t i v e l y v a l id t h e o r e t i c a l c o g n i t i o n ,

a n y w o r l d a b o u t w h i c h o n e c a n a t t a i n " o b j e c t i v e l y v a l id re s u l t s " . H u s se r l s a y s

t h a t ' o b j e c t i v e l y v a li d r e s u l ts ' m e a n s " . . . r e s u lt s t h a t h a ve b e e n r e f i n e d b y

m u t u a l c r i ti c i s m a n d t h a t n o w w i t h s t a n d e v e r y c r i t ic i s m " ( C M , p . 5 ) . 11 I fmutual c r i t ic i s m c o u l d o c c u r , t h e n i t m u s t b e p o s s i b l e f o r t h e r e t o b e o t h e r

r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t s . S i n c e H u s s e r l 's f i r st p r o b l e m p e r t a i n s t o a n y o t h e r t r a n s -

c e n d e n t a l s u b j e c t w h a t s o e v e r ( C M , p . 1 0 7 ) , a n d s in c e t h e e x t e n s i o n o f ' o t h e r

t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t ' is s m a l l e r t h a n t h a t o f ' o t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l



273

sub je c t ' , an sw er ing the f i r s t ques t ion ab ou t t he ex i s t ence o f o ther s fo r me is a

p re requ i s i t e fo r show ing how a theo re t i ca l wo r ld i s con s t i t u t ed . T he c l a ri f i-

c a t i o n o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f a t h e o r e t i c a l w o r l d e m e r g e s o n l y w i t h t h e a n a l y -

s is o f t h e c o n c e p t ' o t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t ' .

We f r eque n t ly r e fe r t o ob je c t ive ly va l id r esu lt s as t ru th s . In o rder fo r t ru th s

a b o u t t h e t h e o r e t i c a l w o r l d to b e p o s s ib l e , o n e m u s t p r e s u p p o s e t h a t t h e

p r o v i n c e o f o n e ' s s c ie n c e e x i st s ( F T L , p . 1 9 9 ). For t he sc i en t i s t , t h en , t he re

m u s t e x i st a t h e o r e t ic a l w o r l d t o b e e x p l o r e d . O t h e rw i s e , t h e r e w o u l d b e n o

t r u t h s t o b e d i s c o v e r e d ; r a t h e r , t h e y w o u l d b e c r e a t e d , w h i c h i s c o u n t e r -

sensi ca l. Th i s ho ld s even fo r phe nom eno log y . A phe nom eno log i s t necessar i l y

supposes tha t h i s p rov ince (ego-cogito-cogitatum) ex i s t s i n o rder t o do

p h e n o m e n o l o g y . T h i s is n o t t o s u p p o s e , o f c ou r s e , th a t t h e w o r l d ( c o n s t i t u t e d

i n t h e n a t u r a l s t a n d p o i n t ) e x i st s . S o m u c h f o r t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s a n d th era t iona le beh ind i t .

I I. P e r c e p t io n o f S o m e o n e E ls e a s " M e d i a t e d "

Let u s t u rn to t he ana ly s is i t se l f and exam ine Hu sser l ' s a rgum en t s . Husser l

b e g i n s b y a r g u i n g t h a t t h e p e r c e p t i o n o f s o m e o n e e l s e m u s t b e a " m e d i a t e d "

in t en t iona l i t y . Hi s a rgumen t i s as fo l lows :

1 ) W h e n I p e r c e i ve s o m e o n e e l se , I p e r c e iv e h i m " i n p e r s o n " .

2 ) Bu t i f I expe r i enced the o ther ego , h i s appea rances o r sub jec t ive p ro -

cesses "o r ig ina l ly " , t hen the o the r sub jec t and I wo u ld be iden t i ca l .

3 ) Ob v ious ly , t he o ther sub jec t and I a re no t i den t ica l .

4 ) T h e r e f o r e , a l t h o u g h I p e r c e iv e s o m e o n e e ls e " i n p e r s o n " , I e x p e r i e n c e

ne i ther t he o the r ego , no r h i s appearan ces , no r h i s sub jec t ive p rocesses ,

o r ig i n a ll y . ( C M , p p . 1 0 8 - 9 )

Husser l r e fe r s back to p remise 2 , say ing "The s i t ua t ion wou ld be s im i l a r as

r e g a r d s h i s a n i m a t e o r g a n i s m , i f t h e l a t t e r w e r e n o t h i n g e l s e b u t t h e ' b o d y '

[Kdrper] t h a t is a u n i t y c o n s t i t u t e d p u r e l y i n m y a c t u a l a n d p os s ib l e e x p e r -

i e n c e s . . . " ( C M , p . 1 0 9 ). T h a t s t a t e m e n t is s o m e w h a t a m b i gu o u s . H u s s er l

a p p e a r s t o b e s a y in g t h a t

5 ) I f I exper i en ced the o th er ' s an im ate o rga n i sm o r ig ina l ly ( i .e . , i f t he

o t h e r ' s Leib w e r e n o t h i n g b u t a KOrper t h a t t r a n sc e n d s1 m y c o n -

sc iousness ) , t hen the s i t ua t ion w ou ld be s im i l a r t o t ha t descr ibed in

p r e m i s e 2 (i .e . , t h e " o t h e r ' s " Leib w o u l d b e i d e n t i c a l w i t h m y Leib).

I f I h a v e i n t e r p r e t e d 5 c o r r e c t l y , th e n a c o u p l e o f q u e s t io n s a ri se . W h y d o e s

Husser l say " s imi l a r " (dhnlich) i n t he passage? Tha t l ocu t ion sugges t s t ha t

t h e r e i s a d if f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e o t h e r ' s e g o a n d h is a n i m a t e o r g a n i s m (Leib),

s in c e t h e s i t u a t io n w o u l d b e t h e s a m e i f t h e t w o w e r e i d e n ti c a l, r a t h e r t h a n



2 7 4

m ere ly s im i l a r. The sam e conc lu s ion i s sugges ted b y the f ac t t ha t Husser l

d i scusses t he o the r ' s L e i b i n a separa t e sen tence , i n a sen tenc e tha t im me d ia t e ly

f o l lo w s t h e o n e i n w h i c h H u s s e rl t a l k s a b o u t e x p e r i e n c i n g t h e a l t e r e g oo r ig ina lly . I f it i s t rue tha t Husser l is imp l i c i t l y d i s ti ngu i sh ing be tw een the

o t h e r ' s e g o a n d L e i b ( a n d t h u s b e t w e e n m y e g o a n d L e i b ) , then i t i s fa i r to

a s k " W h a t i s t h e p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l e v id e n c e f o r t h a t p o s i t i o n ? " . I t is n o t a

p l a i n ly o b v i o u s t r u t h , o r o n e t h a t is u n c o n t r o v e r s i a l. M e r l e a u -P o n t y , f o r

e x a m p l e , a rg u e s t h a t t h e d i s t in c t i o n b e t w e e n s u b je c t a n d o b j e c t is b l u r r e d i n

o n e ' s b o d y ( t h e b o d y b e i n g a L e i b - K d r p e r ) a n d t h a t o n e ' s b o d y ( c o n s id e r e d

a s a n a n i m a t e o r g a n i s m ) is o n e ' s s u b j e c t iv i t y . M o r e o v e r , s o m e A n g l o - A m e r i c a n

p h i lo s o p h e rs h a v e ar g ue d f o r m i n d - b o d y i d e n ti ty .

Perha ps th i s i s a m i s in t e rp re t a t io n , s ince Husser l be l i eves t ha t som e ob jec t s

a r e c o n s t i t u t e d ( i n p a r t ) b y t h e s e n se o f t o u c h . H u s s e r l' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f " m y "

a n i m a t e o r g a n i s m (C M , p . 9 7 ) r e q u i re s t h a t o n e ' s b o d y i s n o t a m e r e o b j e c t ,

bu t a con s t i t u t ing sub jec t as wel l . The p rem ise we a re cons ider ing (5 ) appea r s

t o h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o d o w i t h H u s s e r l ' s s t a t e m e n t s t h a t o n l y m y b o d y i s a n

a n i m a t e o r g a n i s m ( L e i b ) w i t h i n t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s , a n d t h a t e v e r y o t h e r

sub jec t q u a L e i b t r an scends2 my consc iousness and does no t , acco rd ing ly , f a l l

w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f m y s p h er e o f o w n n e s s. T h e o t h e r ' s L e i b t r a n s c e n d s 2 m y

consc iousness because i t is t h e o t h e r s u b j e c t , o r a t l e as t p r e s u p p o s e s t h e

n o t i o n ' a l te r e g o ' . B u t w h a t d o e s t h a t h a v e to d o w i t h w h a t I e x p e r i e n c e

"o r ig ina l ly "?A c lo ser ana ly s i s o f 2 shou ld he lp c l a r i fy Hu sser l ' s t hes i s . P rem ise 2 ap -

p e a r s t o i n v o l v e a c o n f u s i o n b e t w e e n h a v i n g a n e x p e r i e n c e a n d e x p e r i e n c i n g

a n e x p e r i e n c e . I t i s o b v io u s l y t r u e t h a t i f I h a v e a n y e x p e r i e n c e b e l o n g in g t o

s o m e t h i n g t h a t is o s t e n s i b ly n o t m e , t h e n t h a t o s t e n si b le o t h e r is i d e n t ic a l

w i t h m e . B u t i t i s n o t a n o b v i o u s t r u t h t h a t I c a n n o t e x p e r i e n c e a n o t h e r ' s

e x p e r i e n c e .

I f H u s s e r l h a s n o t c o n f l a t e d t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n h a v i n g a n d e x p e r -

i e n c i n g a n e x p e r i e n c e , t h e n t h e r e m u s t b e s o m e c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n w h a t I

e x p e r i e n c e o r ig i n al ly ( w h a t is " d i r e c t l y a c c e s s i b le " ) a n d m y s p h e r e o f o w n -ness . I sugges t t ha t t he con nec t ion i s t ha t Husser l is m ak ing u se o f a supp ressed

p r e m i s e , n a m e l y :

6) Eve ry th ing tha t I exper i enc e o r ig ina lly f al ls w i th in the scope o f m y

sphere o f ownn ess ( i .e . , is reduc ib l e t o m y ac tua l and poss ib l e con -

sc iousness o f i t ) .

I f w e s u p p o s e t h a t 6 i s a p r e m i s e i n H u s s e r l 's a r g u m e n t ( c f . , C M , p . 1 1 4 ) ,

t h e n w e c a n e x p l a in 2 a n d 5 . S i n c e th e o t h e r ' s e g o , a p p e a r a n c e s a n d s u b j e c ti v ep r o c e ss e s t r a ns c e n d 2 m y c o n s c i o u s ne s s , t h e y d o n o t f a ll w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f

m y s p h e re o f o w n n e s s a n d c a n n o t ( b y 6 ) b e e x p e r i e n c e d o r i g in a l ly . I f w e

in t e rp re t p rem ise 2 in l i gh t o f 6 , t hen , p re mise 2 mean s



275

2*) I f I exper i enc ed an o s t ens ib l e o the r ego o r ig ina l ly , t hen (b y 6 ) it

w o u l d f a ll w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f m y s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s , a n d t h e r e f o r e

n o t b e a n o t h e r e g o.

We can a l so r e in t e rp re t p rem ise 5 in li gh t o f 6 :

5 * ) I f I e x p e r i e n c e d a n o s t e n s i b l e o t h e r L e i b or ig ina l ly , t hen (by 6 ) t ha t

" o t h e r " L e i b w o u l d f a ll w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f m y s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s

a n d t h u s n o t b e a n o t h e r a n i m a t e o r g a n i s m .

I f 5 * i s a n a c c u r a t e a c c o u n t o f t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g p a r t o f H u s s e r l 's a r g u m e n t ,

t hen Husser l i s bas i ca l ly r es t a t ing a pos i t i on tha t he took wh i l e descr ib ing the

s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s , n a m e l y , t h a t " I " a m t h e s o l e a n i m a t e o r g a n i s m i n m y

s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s ( C M , p . 9 7 ) .

N o w 6 is t h e o n l y w a y I c a n m a k e s e ns e o u t o f p r e m i s e s 2 a n d 5 a n d s av e

H u s s e r l f r o m t h e o b j e c t i o n t h a t h e h a s c o n f l a t e d t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n

h a v i n g a n d e x p e r i e n c i n g a n e x p e r i e n c e , o r a t l e a s t h a s p r e s e n t e d n o e v i d e n ce

f o r t h o s e p r e m i s e s. B u t i f w e a c c e p t 6 , w e h a v e a n e w p r o b l e m w h e n w e le a r n

tha t t ha t wh ich i s exper i enced o r ig ina l ly i s t ha t wh ich i s p resen ted . Th i s po in t

e m e r g e s f r o m H u s s e r l ' s a s s e r t i o n t h a t s i n c e I e x p e r i e n c e o t h e r s " i n p e r s o n "

a n d y e t d o n o t e x p e r i e n c e t h e i r s u b j e c ti v it ie s " o r ig i n a l l y " , t h e r e m u s t b e

a p p r e s e n t a t i o n i n t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f s o m e o n e e ls e ( C M , p . 1 0 9 ). H e r e , t h e n ,

t h a t w h i c h is e x p e r i e n c e o r ig i n a ll y i s c o n t r a s t e d w i t h t h a t w h i c h i s a p p r e s e n t e d .

S i nc e t h a t w h i c h is a p p r e s e n t e d is o p p o s e d t o t h a t w h i c h is p r e s e n t e d , w h a t I

e x p e r i e n c e o r i g in a l ly w o u l d b e t h a t w h i c h is p r e s e n t e d .

Bu t t ha t w h ich i s p rese n ted is no t coex tens ive wi th wh at f all s w i th in the

s c o p e o f m y s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s . M y s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s i n c lu d e s a l l a n d o n l y

t h a t w h i c h i s w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f m y a c t u a l a n d p o t e n t i a l consc iousness . Tha t

w h i c h is a p p r e s e n t e d a t o n e t i m e c a n b e p r e s e n t e d a t a n o t h e r . T h u s , i f t h e

s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s w e r e i d e n t i c a l w i t h w h a t is p r e s e n t e d , t h e n ' s p h e r e o f o w n -

h e s s ' w o u l d h a v e t o m e a n ' w h a t e v e r f a ll s w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f m y a c t u a l c o n -

sc iousness ' . Obv ious ly it doe s no t .B u t w e m u s t n o t l e a ve o u t o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n th e i m p o r t a n t d i f f e r e n c e b e -

t w e e n a p p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t a n d d i f f e r e n t s o r ts o f a p p r e s e n t a t i o n .

See ing a phys i ca l ob jec t , fo r exam ple , invo lves app rese n ta t ion . I see th i s desk

and ye t see ( s t r i c t l y speak ing ) on ly i t s t op . S ince I t ake m yse l f t o see the desk

( r a t h e r t h a n t h e t o p ) , t h e o t h e r s id e s a re a p p r e s e n t e d . N o w th e s o r t o f a p -

p res en ta t ion tha t i s an i so l ab le aspe c t o f see ing a phys i ca l ob jec t d i f fe r s f rom

a p p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t i n a n i m p o r t a n t r e s p e c t . I n t h e c a s e o f t h is

desk , I c an m ove and see i t s o the r s ides ; bu t t h i s k ind o f ver i f i ca t ion i s exc lude d

a p r i o r i i n t h e c a se o f e x p e r i e n c in g a n o t h e r s u b j e c t ( C M , p . 1 0 9 ) .S i nc e a p p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t is a s pe c ia l ca s e , i t a p p e a r s t h a t w e

c a n r e t a i n t h e e q u a t i o n o f t h a t w h i c h is e x p e r i e n c e d o r ig i n a ll y w i t h t h a t

w h i c h f al ls w i t h i n t h e c o p e o f m y s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s . H u s s e rl is n o t say ing

tha t t ha t wh ich i s exper i enced o r ig ina l ly i s i den t i ca l wi th tha t wh ich i s



2 7 6

prese n ted genera l ly . He i s say ing tha t w ha t I exp er i enc e o r ig ina l ly i s w ha tev er

i s p r e s e n t e d o r presen tab l e . T h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f w h a t H u s s e r l m e a n s b y

' wh at i s exper i enc ed o r ig ina l ly ' o r ' w ha t i s d i r ec t ly access ib l e ' s e rves t o

e x c l u d e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n o t h e r ' s m e n t a l l i fe w h i l e r e t a i n in g p r e m i s e 6 .

H o w e v e r , tr e a t i n g a p p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n o t h e r ' s m e n t a l l if e a s a s pe c ia l c a se

b y s a y i n g t h a t a n o t h e r ' s m e n t a l l i f e c a n n o t b e p r e s e n t e d , i s p r a c t i c a l l y t o

res t a t e p remise 2 . Bu t t he r eader wi l l r eca l l t ha t we began th i s l i ne o f i n t e r -

p r e t a t i o n i n o r d e r t o s a ve H u s se r l f r o m a n i m p o r t a n t o b j e c t i o n to p r e m i s e 2 ,

n a m e l y , t h a t h e e i t h e r c o n f u s e d t h e d i s t i n c t io n b e t w e e n h a v i ng a n d e x p e r i-

enc ing an expe r i ence , o r a t l eas t d id n o t p resen t ev idenc e fo r say ing tha t i f I

e x p e r i e n c e d " a n o t h e r " s u b j e c t d ir e c t l y , " w e " w o u l d b e i d e n ti c a l. W e w e r e

l o o k i n g f o r a p r i n c i p le d w a y o f c o n n e c t i n g w h a t I e x p e r i e n c e o ri g in a l ly w i t h

m y s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f 2 , s u c h t h a t H u s s e r l w o u l d n o t b e

v u l n e r a b le t o t h e o b j e c t i o n j u s t s t a t e d .

O f c o u r s e , i t is p o s s ib l e t o u n d e r s t a n d p r e m i s e 6 a s a d e f i n i t io n o f ' w h a t I

e x p e r i e n c e o r i g i n a l l y ' . T h u s , w e c o u l d t a k e ' w h a t I e x p e r i e n c e o r i g i n a l l y ' t o

m e a n ' w h a t e v e r is r e d u c ib l e t o m y a c t u a l a n d p o s s i b le c o n s c i o u s n e ss ' . I f w e

t a k e 6 i n th i s w a y , t h e n ( p r e s e n t a t i v e ) c o n s c io u s n e s s o f o t h e r s u b je c t s ( in s o f a r

a s i t i n t ro d u c e s t r a n s c e n d e n c % ) is e x c l u d e d a n d ( it s e e m s ) w e c a n n o t c r i t ic i z e

Husser l fo r o f fe r ing no ju s t i f i c a t ion fo r 2 o r 5 . Bu t Hu sser l u ses h i s a rgu me n t

t o j u s t i f y t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t t h e p e r c e p t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t i n vo l ve s

a p p r e s e n t a t i o n . S o , t h e r e o u g h t t o b e s o m e p r i n c i p l e a b o u t p r e s e n t a t i o n a n dapp rese n ta t io n in genera l t ha t a l lows H usser l t o i n fe r h i s conc lu s ion . In s t ead ,

h e a p p e a l s t o a c o n s e q u e n c e o f p r e m i s e 2 i n a n a p p a r e n t l y q u e s t io n - b e g g in g

ma nne r , The po in t o f t he o b jec t ion i s t h i s : because H usser l as se r ts 2 as i f i t

w e r e a n o b v i o u s t r u t h , h e s e e m s t o be suppos ing a quas i -Car t es i an , p r iva t e

no t ion o f consc iousness . Th i s i s a poss ib l e exp lana t ion fo r t he f ac t t ha t

Husser l d i scusses t he o ther ' s L e i b and consc iousness s epara t e ly . We requ i re

a d e q u a t e c r it e r ia f o r d i s ti n gu i sh i ng b e t w e e n t h a t w h i c h i s ( o r c a n b e ) p r e s e n t e d

a n d t h a t w h i c h is ( a n d m u s t b e ) a p p r e s e n t e d s o th a t w e c a n d e t e r m i n e o n

p r inc ip l ed g rounds whether Husser l i s en t i t l ed to 2 and 5 . What , a f t e r a l l , does

H u s s e r l m e a n b y ' p r e s e n t a t i o n ( o r o r i g i na l e x p e r ie n c e ) o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t ' a n d

w h y is t h a t i m p o s s ib l e ? L e t u s t r y t o d e f e n d H u s s e r l a g a in s t th i s o b j e c t i o n .

We can c l a r i fy Husser l ' s t hes i s by con t ras t ing the exper i ence o f m y ego

( w h i c h is p u r p o r t e d l y " o r i g i n a l " ) w i t h th e e x p e r i e n c e o f a n y o t h e r e g o

( w h i c h i s a n d m u s t b e " n o n o r i g i n a l " ) . A p a s s a g e i n F o r m a l a n d T r a n s c e n d e n t a l

L o g i c t ha t pa ra l le l s wha t we a re d i scussing i s an imp or t a n t c lue as t o wh at

H u s s e r l m e a n s b y ' o ri g in a l e x p e r i e n c e ' .

Experience is what tells m e here: I have experience of myself with primary originality; of

others, of ano ther's psychic life , with a me rely seconda ry originality, since another'spsychic life is essentially inaccessible o me in direct percep tion. (FT L, p. 223)

Clear ly , Husser l is equa t ing expe r i ence wi th p r im ary o r ig ina l i ty (o r o r ig ina l

exper i en ce) an d d i r ec t p e rce p t ion . So Hus ser l ' s t hes i s i s t ha t i f I d i r ec t ly

p e r c e iv e d a n o s te n s i b le o t h e r , " w e " w o u l d b e i d e n t ic a l .



2 7 7

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e s u b s t i t u t io n o f ' d ir e c t p e r c e p t i o n ' f o r ' o ri g in a l e x p e ri -

e n c e ' d o e s n o t s o lv e o u r p r o b l e m , s i n c e w e m u s t n o w c l a ri f y ' d i re c t p e r c e p t i o n ' .

H u s s e rl d o e s d i s c u ss p e r c e p t i o n o f m y s e l f :

W hen I am effecting transcendental redu ction and reflecting on myself, the transcenden-

tal eg o, I am given to m yse lf perceptually as this ego - in a grasping perception. Further-

more I become aware that, although not grasped before this perception, I was 'already

given', already there for myself continually as an object o f original intuition (as perceived

in the broader sense). (CM , p. 10 1, last emphasis m ine)

' P e r c e i v e d i n t h e b r o a d e r s e n s e ' is i d e n t i f i e d w i t h ' o r ig i n a l s e l f - e x p e r i e n c e ' ( o r

' d i r e c t p e r c e p t i o n ' ) i n t h e p a s s a g e ju s t c i t e d . W h a t , t h e n , i s t h is c o n t i n u o u s

s e l f- c o n s ci o u s n es s th a t I c a n n o t h a v e o f a n y o t h e r c o n s c i o u s n e ss ?

I t is t h e s a m e a s w h a t S a r t r e c a ll s " p r e - r e f l e c t i v e s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s " , t h e

k i n d o f c o n s c i o u sn e s s th a t m a k e s i t p o s si b le f o r a n y i n d iv i d u al t o k n o w t h e

w a y i n w h i c h h e i s /w a s a w a r e o f a n o b j e c t . B e c a u s e I a m p r e - r e f l e c t i v e l y

a w a r e o f n o t o n l y t h is t a b le , p a p e r , p e n , e t c ., b u t o f m y p e r c e i vi n g o f t h e m a s

w e l l , I c a n r e c o g n i z e t h e s e f a c t s r e f l e c t i v e l y . T h i s p r e - r e f l e c t i v e s e l f - c o n s c i o u s -

n e ss d o e s n o t g u a r a n t e e k n o w l e d g e o f o n e ' s m o d e o f c o n s c i ou s n e s s . I t is a

n e c e s s a r y , r a t h e r t h a n s u f f i c ie n t , c o n d i t i o n f o r s u c h k n o w l e d g e . P r e - r e fl e c t iv e

s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s ( w h i c h i s p e r c e p t u a l ) is c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f t h e " l iv i n g p r e s e n t " .

" S i n c e i t g o e s o n i n t h e l i v i n g p r e s e n t , s e l f - e x p l i c a t i o n c a n f i n d , s t r i c t l y p e r -

c e p t i v e l y , o n l y w h a t is g o i n g o n i n t h e li v in g p r e s e n t " ( C M , .p . 1 0 2 ) . ' O r i g i n a ls e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s ' , t h e n , m e a n s ' c o n t i n u o u s p r e - r e f l e c t i v e s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s ' .

N o w a n y c o n s c i o u s b e i n g is n e c e s sa r il y c o n s c i o u s o f h im s e l f i n t h is w a y .

O b v i o u s l y , I c a n n o t b e c o n s c i o u s o f a n y o t h e r s u b j e c t in th i s w a y . I c a n n o t

n e c e s sa r il y h a v e c o n t i n u o u s p r e -r e fl e ct iv e c o n s c i o u s n e ss o f a n o t h e r ' s Leib as

t h e " a b s o l u t e h e r e " , a s t h e " z e r o p o i n t " o f p e r c e p t u a l e x p e r i e n c e . T h a t is n o t

t h e c o n t i n u o u s s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h a t I n e c e s s a r i l y e x i s t qua c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

M y c o n s c i o u sn e s s o f a n o t h e r s u b j e ct a s t h e z e r o p o i n t o f h i s p e r c e p t i o n s i s

o c c a s io n e d b y m y p e r c e p t i o n o f hi m , a n d is a n y t h i n g b u t c o n t i n u o u s . W h e n I

p e r ce i v e a n o t h e r s u b j ec t a n d i d e n t i f y h i m a s t h e z e r o p o i n t of his p e r c e p t i o n s ,I a m s i m u l ta n e o u s ly c o n s c i o u s o f m y s e l f as t h a t a r o u n d w h i c h m y p e r c e p tu a l

e x p e r i e n c e is o r g a n i z e d . I f I n e c e s sa r il y w e r e c o n s c i o u s o f b o t h m y a n d t h e

o t h e r ' s Leib a s t h a t a r o u n d w h i c h p e r c e p t u a l e x p e r i e n c e i s o r g a n i z e d , t h e n I

w o u l d have to be c o n s c io u s o f t h e o t h e r Leib a t a ll t i m e s w h e n I a m a w a k e o r

( w h a t a m o u n t s t o t h e s a m e t h i n g ) t h o s e z e r o p o i n t s w o u l d h a v e t o b e i d e n ti c a l.

T h e r e f o r e , t h e r e is e v i d e n c e f o r 2 a n d 5 . W e h a v e t h u s d e f e n d e d H u s s e rl

a g a i n s t t h e o b j e c t i o n s r a i s e d a g a i n s t h i s a r g u m e n t .

H u s s e r l 's p o s i t i o n , t h e n , is t h a t a p e r s o n h a s p r iv i le g e d a c c e s s t o h i s o w n

c o n s c io u s n e s s , w h i c h is t o s a y t h a t o n l y t h e s u b j e ct c a n b e c o n s c i o u s o f h is

o w n c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n t h e w a y t h a t h e i s . H u s s e r l ' s c o n c l u s i o n i s t h a t t h e

p e r c e p t i o n o f a n y o t h e r s u b j e c t i n v ol ve s a p p e r c e p t i o n . O n e a p p e r ce i v e s x

w h e n o n e d o e s n o t ( d i r e c t ly ) p e r c ei v e x , b u t t a k e s x t o b e t h e re , t o o . W h e r ea s

t h e a p p e r c e i v e d o t h e r s id e o f a p h y s i c a l o b j e c t c a n b e p e r c e iv e d , a n o t h e r

s u b j e c t c a n n o t b e ( d i r e c t l y ) p e rc e i v e d .



278

This argument, at least, survived the attempts to criticize it. But let us

consider Husserl's second major arg ument.

III. The Role of One's Own Consciousness in Apper cepti on of Someone Else

Let us retu rn to Husserl's argument. We have seen that percept ion of another

subject involves appercep tion. Only one's own consciousness is given to one-

self originally; every other consciousness is given appresentationally. At this

point in the argument, Husserl introduces an importa nt premise:

How can appresentation of another original sphere, and thereby the sense 'someone else',

be motivated in my original sphere and, in fact, motivated as experience - as the word

'appresentation' (making intended as co-present) already indicates? Not every non-

originary making present can do that. A n o n - o r i g i n a r y m a k i n g p r e s e n t c a n d o i t o n l y i n

c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h a n o r i g in a r y p r e s e n t a t i o n , a n i t s e lf - g iv i n g pr op er ," a n d o n l y a s d e m a n d e d

b y t h e o r i g i n a r y p r e s e n t a t i o n c a n i t h a v e t h e c h a ra c t e r o f a p p r e s e n t a t i o n - somewhat as,

in the case of experiencing a physical thing, what is there perceptually motivates belief in

something else being there too. (CM, pp. 109-10, emphasis mine)

Let us add a couple of premises that we have alr ead y.ment ion ed to the

argument:

7 ) One's consciousness of an othe r subject is appresentative.

8) Only one's own consciousness is presented.

Whereas 7 is a consequence of 2, 8 may be regarded as a presupposition of it.

Now let us add the premise that is stated in the quot ati on just cited:

9) All appre senta tion necessarily involves (past or present) prese ntation,

and only as motiv ated by what is presented is there appresentation.

We can see that an ostensible consequence of 7 - 9 is:

10) One's consciousness of another subject a s another subject must be

derived from one's own case.

It is no surprise to find this conclusion in the te xt:

Since, in this Nature and this world, my animate organism is the only body that is or ca n

b e constituted o r i g i n a l l y as an animate organism.. , the body over there, which is never-

theless apprehended as an animate organism, m u s t have derived this sense by an a p p e r -

c e p t i v e t r a n s fe r f r o m m y a n i m a t e o r ga n i sm , and done so in a manner that excludes anactually direct and hence primordial, showing of the predicates belonging to an animateorganism, specifically, a showing of them in perception proper. (CM, pp. 110-11, all butlast emphasis is mine)



2 7 9

I b e l i e v e t h a t H u s s e r l ' s c o n c l u s i o n i s f a l s e. T h e t h e s i s t h a t o n e ' s i d e n t i f i -

c a t i o n o f s o m e o n e a s a n o t h e r s u b je c t m u s t b e " d e r i v e d " f r o m o n e ' s o w n c as e

i s s i m p l y n o t b o r n e o u t b y t h e e v i d e n c e . L e t a n y o n e c o n s u l t h is e x p e r i e n c e .

D o e s o n e f i n d , ev e n u p o n c l o se a n a ly s i s , t h a t o n e b a s e s o n e ' s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o fa n o t h e r s u b j e c t o n o n e ' s o w n c a se ? D o e s s o m e s o r t o f " t r a n s f e r " f r o m o n e ' s

o w n c o n s c i o u s n e ss t a k e p l a c e? I s u b m i t t h a t t h e a n s w e r to b o t h o f t h e s e

q u e s t i o n s i s " n o " .

S a r t r e ' s a c c u r a t e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f o t h e r s is t h e b e s t e v i-

d e n c e a g a i n s t H u s s e r l ' s c o n c l u s i o n . S u p p o s e t h a t I s e e a m a n s i t t i n g o n a p a r k

b e n c h : I f I i d e n t i f i e d h i m a s m e r e l y a th i n g , I w o u l d i d e n t i f y h i m a s h a v i n g

o n l y o b j e c t i v e p r o p e r t i e s a n d r e l a t io n s , s u c h a s w e i g h i n g a c e r t a in a m o u n t ,

b e i n g a c e r t a in d i st a n c e f r o m a n e a r b y t r e e , e t c . W h e n I i d e n t i f y h i m a s a m a n ,

h o w e v e r , I i d e n t i f y h i m a s f u n d a m e n t a l l y d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h i n g s . I i d e n t i f yt h i n g s a s o r g a n i z e d a r o u n d h i m , a s o r i e n t e d f r o m h i s p o i n t o f v i e w . a2 O b j e c t s

" c o n v e r g e " a r o u n d h i m . T r u e , a ll o f t h is is f o r m e . T h a t , h o w e v e r , i s a f a c t

t h a t I d i s c o v e r u p o n r e f l e c t i o n . O n e d o e s n o t f i n d a n y " t r a n s f e r " f r o m o n e ' s

o w n c o n s c i o u s n e s s , f o r w h e n I i d e n t i f y s o m e o n e a s a m a n , a s s o m e o n e a r o u n d

w h o m o b j e c t s a r e o r g a n i z e d , I t a k e m y s e l f a s a n a c t u a l o r p o s s i b l e o b j e c t f o r

h im ( B N , p p . 3 4 4 - 4 5 ) . I co n s i d e r t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j ec t as

s o m e o n e f o r w h o m I a m o r c a n b e a n i n t e n t i o n a l o b j e c t a n i s o la b l e a s p e c t o f

o r d i n a r y p e r c e p t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t . U n l i k e S a r t r e , h o w e v e r , I d o n o t i n f e r

t h a t p e r c e p t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t is c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f h i m a s a n o b j e c t ( w h e r e

" o b j e c t " i s o p p o s e d t o " s u b j e c t " , a s S a r t re i n t e r p r e t s i t ).

T h e p o i n t is t o s h o w t h a t m y p e r c e p t i o n o f s o m e o n e a s a n o t h e r s u b j e c t

d o e s n o t i n v o lv e a n y " t r a n s f e r " f r o m m y o w n c as e. W h e n I i d e n t i f y a n o t h e r

s u b j e c t a s s o m e o n e f o r w h o m I a m ( o r ca n b e ) a n o b j e c t , I a m n o t " t r a n s -

f e r r i n g " f r o m m y o w n c a se s i n ce , i f I d i d , I w o u l d b e i d e n t i f y i n g m y s e l f a s a n

o b j e c t . F u r t h e r , I w o u l d b e a w a r e o f th i s f a ct u p o n r e f l e c t i o n . B u t I d o n o t

i d e n t i f y m y s e l f a s a n o b j e c t . I i d e n t i f y t h e o t h e r s u b j e c t a s a s u b j e c t f o r

w h o m I a m o r c a n b e a n i n t e n t i o n a l o b j e c t , w h i c h i s n o t q u i t e t h e s a m e a s

i d e n t i f y i n g m y s e l f a s a n o b j e c t . I i d e n t i f y h im a s t h e b a s i s fo r t h e i d e n t i f i -

c a t io n o f m e .

I t m a y b e o b j e c t e d t h a t o n e i s a n o b j e c t f o r h i m s e l f i n r e f l e c t i o n ; a f t e r a ll ,

o n e r e f l e c t s o n o n e ' s c o n s c i o u s l if e w h e n o n e d o e s p h e n o m e n o l o g y . S o , i t i s

n o t c o r r e c t t o s u g g es t t h a t o n e c a n n o t b e a n o b j e c t f o r o n e s e lf . M y r e p l y i s

t h a t I d i d n o t s u gg e st t h a t o n e c a n n o t b e a n o b j e c t f o r o n e s el f . I a m s a y i n g ,

r a t h e r , t h a t o n e u s u a l l y is n o t a n o b j e c t f o r o n e s e l f w h e n o n e p e r c e i v e s s o m e -

o n e e ls e . A f t e r a l l , o n e m u s t r e f l e c t o n o n e ' s o w n c o n s c i o u s n e s s t o b e c o n -

s c io u s o f o n e s e l f a s a n o b j e c t . T h e p r e c e d i n g o b j e c t i o n i n v i t es u s t o c o n f l a t e

r e f l ec t i v e c o n s c io u s n e s s o f o n e s e l f w i t h p r e - r e fl e c t iv e c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f s o m e -

o n e e l se . W h e n o n e p e r c e iv e s s o m e o n e e l se , o n e i s u s u a l l y n o t r e f l e c t iv e l y c o n -s c i o u s o f o n e s e l f . Y e t o n e p r e - r e f l e c t i v e l y d e n t i f i e s a n o t h e r s u b j e c t a s s o m e o n e

f o r w h o m o n e i s o r c a n b e a n i n t e n t i o n a l o b j e c t . P r e - r e f le c t i v e ly , o n e i s n o n -

p o s i t i o n a l l y c o n s c i o u s o f a c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h a t o n e s u b s e q u e n t l y ( u p o n r e f le c -

t i o n ) i d e n t i f ie s a s o n e ' s o w n . B u t i f H u s s e rl 's p o s i t i o n w e r e c o r r e c t , t h e r e



2 8 0

w o u l d h a v e t o b e p r e - re f le c ti v e a n d y e t p o s i t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s n e ss o f c o n s c i o u s -

n e ss w h e n e v e r o n e p e r ce i v es s o m e o n e e ls e. T h u s , t h e i d e n t i fi c a t i o n o f s o m e o n e

a s a n o t h e r s u b j ec t d o e s n o t i n v o lv e a n y " t r a n s f e r " f r o m o n e ' s o w n c a se .

O f c o u r s e , H u s s e r l i n si st s t h a t t h e " t r a n s f e r " f r o m o n e ' s o w n c a s e is n o tr e f le c t i v e . H u s s e r l c a r e f u l l y d i s t in g u i s h e s b e t w e e n " a n a l o g i z i n g a p p e r c e p t i o n "

a n d " i n f e r e n c e f r o m a n a l o g y " ( C M , p . 1 1 1 ) . B u t i t s e em s t o m e t h a t i f o n e ' s

a p p e r c e p t iv e c o n s c io u s n e s s i n v ol ve s a " t r a n s f e r " f r o m o n e ' s o w n c a s e , t h e n

p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e f l e c t io n o n t h a t e x p e r i e n c e w o u l d b e a r o u t H u s se r l' s

c l a im .

I s u g g e st t h a t H u s s e f l a l lo w s h i s r e f l e c t i o n o n t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f a n o t h e r

s u b j e ct t o d i s t o rt h i s d e s c r ip t i o n o f t h e p h e n o m e n o n . T h i s is t h e s a m e c ri ti c is m

t h a t S a r t r e m a d e o f H u s s e rl o n a n o t h e r m a t t e r , w h e t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l c o n -

s c i o u s n e s s i s a t r a n s c e n d e n t a l ego. I s h al l su m m a r i z e S a r t re ' s a r g u m e n t b e f o r et u r n i n g t o t h e p o i n t a t i s s u e . S a r t r e p o i n t s o u t t h a t p h i l o s o p h e r s w h o c o n t e n d

t h a t a t r a n s c e n d e n t a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s a t r a n s c e n d e n t a l e g o b a s e t h e t h e s is o n

r e f le c t i v e e x p e r i e n c e s . 13 W h e n e v e r o n e r e f l e c t s o n o n e ' s o w n c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,

t h e e x p e r ie n c e s a p p e a r a s o n e ' s o w n . D e f e n d e r s o f t h e t h e s is t h a t t h e r e is a

t r a n s c e n d e n t a l e g o m a i n t a i n t h a t a n I a p p e a r s . B u t t h e y h a ve t h e r e b y c o n f l a t e d

t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e reflecting c o n s c i o u s n e s s a n d t h e c o n s c i o u s n e s s

r e f l e c t e d upon. T h e reflecting c o n s c i o u s n e ss d o e s n o t t a k e i t se l f a s a n o b j e c t ;

t h e c o g i t o c o n c e r n s s o l el y t h e c o n s c i o u s n es s r e fl e c te d u p o n ( T E , p . 4 4 ) . S i n c e

H u s s e r l t a k e s t h e c o n s c i o u s n e s s r e f l e c t e d u p o n t o b e i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e r e -

f l e c t in g c o n s c i o u s n e s s , H u s s e f l h a s m i s t a k e n a p r o d u c t o f d i s t o r t i n g r e f l e c t i o n

f o r t h e o r i g i n a l , p r e - r e f l e c t i v e p h e n o m e n a . I n a l l s t r i c t n e s s , H u s s e r l s h o u l d

h a v e s a id t h a t a m e , r a t h e r t h a n a n I , a p p e a r s u p o n r e f l e c t io n . T h e e g o is a n

o b j e c t f o r c o n s c i o u s n es s ; t h u s , t h e w o r d f o r t h is p h e n o m e n o n s h o u l d b e i n

t h e a c c u s a t iv e , ra t h e r t h a n t h e n o m i n a t i v e c a s e .

S a r t r e d o e s n o t r e s t h i s e n t i r e c a s e o n t h i s a b s t r a c t a r g u m e n t . H e t u r n s t o a

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e e x a m p l e a n d d e s c r i b e s i t c a r e f u l l y . S u p p o s e t h a t I a m r e a d i n g

a n d w a n t t o d e s c ri b e a d e q u a t e l y t h a t p r e -r e fl e ct iv e m o d e o f c o n s c i o u sn e s s .

S h o u l d w e d e s c r i b e i t a s " I a m r e a d i n g t h e b o o k ? " N o . " T h e r e i s n o d o u b t

a b o u t t h e r e su l t: w h i l e I w a s r e ad i n g , t h e r e w a s c o n s c io u s n e s s o f t h e b o o k , o f

t h e h e r o e s o f t h e n o v e l , b u t t h e I w a s n o t i n h a b i t in g t h i s c o n s c i o u s n e s s " ( T E ,

p p . 4 6 - 4 7 ) . A l t h o u g h o n e w o u l d a n s w e r " I a m r e ad i n g " t o th e q u e s ti o n

" W h a t a r e y o u d o i n g ? " , t h a t i s n o t a n a c c u r a t e d e s c r i p t io n o f w h a t i s t h e r e

f o r c o n s c i o u s n e s s w h i l e o n e w a s i m m e r s e d i n t h e b o o k . S u p p o s e t h a t I a m

p u r s u i n g a s t r e e t c a r . I a m c o n s c i o u s o f t h e s t r e e t c a r - t o - b e - o v e r t a k e n , r a t h e r

t h a n o f m y s e l f r u n n i n g a f te r t h e s t re e t ca r ( T E , p p . 4 8 - 4 9 ) .

N o w w h a t d o e s t h i s h a v e t o d o w i t h t h e c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f a n o t h e r s u b j ec t ?

C a n a s im i la r d e s c r i p t io n b e m a d e o f o r d i n a r y c o n s c io u s n e s s o f a n o t h e r s u b-

j e c t ? I b e l ie v e s o . T h e d e s c r i p t i o n is c o m p l i c a t e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t t o i d e n t i f ys o m e o n e a s a n o t h e r s u b je c t i s t o i d e n t i f y h i m a s s o m e o n e f o r w h o m o n e is o r

c a n b e a n i n t e n t i o n a l o b j e c t . T h a t f a c t a p p e a r s t o s u p p o r t H u s s e r l. B u t le t u s

l o o k m o r e c l o se l y . I s t e p o f f t h e e l e v a t o r a n d s e e S m i t h w a l k in g t h is w a y . I d o

n o t s e e m y s e l f ; I d o n o t , i n p a r t i c u l a r , f i n d m y s e l f a s a so u r c e f r o m w h i c h a



281

a p p r e s e n t a t i v e t r a n s f e r t a k e s p l a c e . I s e e S m i t h w a l k i n g t h i s w a y - p e r i o d . O f

c o u r se , th e u s e o f th e p h r a s e ' t h is w a y ' i n d ic a te s m y b o d y a s t h e z e ro p o i n t o f

t h e p e r c e p t i o n t h a t I , u p o n r e f l e c t i o n , i d e n t i f y a s m i n e . B u t t h i s p o i n t i s n o t

s u f f ic i e n t t o d e r iv e H u s s e r l' s c o n c l u s i o n . F o r I m a y s a y th a t t h e p a c k o f c ig -a r e t t e s is t o t h e r ig h t . ' T o t h e r i g h t ' p o i n t s , o n c e a g in , t o m y b o d y ' s p o s i t i o n

( o r , m o r e p r e c i s e l y , m y b o d y a s L e i b , a s t h a t a r o u n d w h i c h m y e x p e r i en c e is

o r g a n i z e d ) . ' T o t h e r i g h t ' is t h e s a m e k i n d o f p h r a s e a s 't h i s w a y ' . Y e t t h e r e i s

n o a p p e r c e p t i v e t r a n s f e r f r o m m y o w n c a s e , f o r t h e s i m p l e r e a s o n t h a t I d o

n o t i d e n t i f y t h e p a c k o f c ig a r e tt e s as a n o t h e r s u b j e c t .

W e m u s t a n a l y z e o r d i n a r y p e r c e p t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t m o r e c lo s e ly . W e

c a n a p p r o a c h t h i s p r o b l e m i n d i r e c tl y b y c r it ic i zi n g H u s s e r l ' s a r g u m e n t . S in c e

I h a v e b e e n a rg u i n g a g a in s t th e c o n c l u s i o n o f H u s s e r l 's a r g u m e n t ( p r e m i s e 1 0 ) ,

i t is i n c u m b e n t u p o n m e t o s h o w t h a t e i t h e r a t le a s t o n e o f t h e p r e m i s e s isf a lse , o r t ha t t h e a rgu m ent i s i nva l id .

I t h i n k t h a t p r e m i s e 9 is s u s p e c t . I t is n e c e s s a r y t o c l a r i fy t h e k e y t e r m

' m o t i v a t e d ' ( a n d i ts g r a m m a t i c a l c o g n a t es ) in o r d e r t o c r it ic i z e it o n s o l i d

g r o u n d s . L a w s o f m o t i v a t i o n a r e si m i la r to c a u s al la w s , e x c e p t t h a t m o t i v a t io n ,

p e r t a i n s t o t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s t h a t o b t a i n b e t w e e n c o n s c i o u s n e s s a n d i t s i n -

t e n d e d o b j e c t , w h e r e a s c a u s al l aw s h a v e t o d o w i t h r e g u la r c o n n e c t i o n s b e -

t w e e n t h in g s . I b e l i e v e t h a t H u s s e r l is w is e t o c h o o s e a n o t h e r w o r d t o t a l k

a b o u t t h o s e r e l a ti o n s h i p s b e t w e e n c o n s c i o u s n e s s a n d i t s i n t e n d e d o b j e c t , s in c e

t a l k o f c a u s a l it y is in t h e n a t u r a l ( s o m e t i m e s t h e n a t u r a l i st i c ) a t t i t u d e , w h e r e

t h e p r e s u p p o s i t i o n o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f b o t h c a u s e a n d e f fe c t i s i n p l a y . M o r e -

o v e r , c a u s a l t a l k p r e c l u d e s a n y t a l k a b o u t t r a n s c e n d e n t a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s , a s

b o t h c a u s e a n d e f f e c t a r e i d e n t i f i e d a s " i n " t h e w o r l d . C l e a r l y , H u s s e r l d o e s

n o t w a n t h i s d is c u s s io n o f m o t i v a t i o n t o b e c o n f l a t e d w i t h n a t u ra l i st i c t a l k

a b o u t t w o ( o r m o r e ) t h in g s .

C o n s i d e r , f o r e x a m p l e , p e r c e iv i n g a p h y s i c a l o b j e c t . M y p e r c e p t i o n o f t h i s

s id e o f ( s a y ) th i s d e s k m o t i v a t e d m e t o t a k e t h e o t h e r s id e s t o b e t h e r e , t o o .

T h e r e is a n o r d i n a r y w o r d f o r H u s s e rl 's t o p i c , n a m e l y , ' p r o m p t s ' . W e s ay th a t

m y p e r c e p t i o n o f t h is sid e o f t h e d e s k p r o m p t s m e to t a k e t h e o t h e r s id e s t o

b e t h e r e . ' M o t i v e ' , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , s u g g es ts a re a s o n o f e x p l a n a t i o n , as i n

' H e is m o t i v a t e d b y g r e e d .' N o w H u s s e rl s ay s t h a t I a m m o t i v a t e d t o a p p r e s e n t

c o n t e n t x o n l y o n t h e b a si s o f th e p r e s e n t a t io n o f y . F o r e x a m p l e , I b e li ev e

t h a t t h e u n s e e n s id e s o f t h i s d e s k a r e p r e s e n t , t o o , o n l y b e c a u s e I p e r c e iv e t h is

s i d e ; a n d i f I h a d n o t p e r c e i v e d th i s s id e ( o r , s o m e s i d e ) , I w o u l d n o t t a k e t h e

u n s e e n c o n t e n t t o b e t h e r e , to o .

N o w t h a t w e u n d e r s t a n d t h e m e a n i n g o f 9 , w e c a n e v a lu a t e H u s s e r l 's a r gu -

m e n t . S i n c e H u s s er l c o n c l u d e s t h a t m y a p p r e s e n t a t i v e c o n s c i o u s n e s s m u s t b e

d e r iv e d f r o m m y o w n c a s e , i t is cl e a r t h a t 9 m u s t b e i n t e r p r e t e d a s f o l lo w s :

9 * ) A ll a p p r e s e n t a t i o n o f s o m e t h i n g o f t h e k i n d x n e c e s s a r i ly i n v o lv e s

( p a s t o r p r e s e n t ) p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e s a m e s o r t o f i n t e n t i o n a l o b j e c t ,

a n d o n l y a s m o t i v a t e d b y p r e s e n t a t io n o f t h e l a t te r i s t h e r e a p p r e s e n t-

a t io n o f t h e f o r m e r .



2 8 2

I n s h o r t , H u s s e rl is s a y i ng t h a t a p p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n y k i n d o f i n t e n t i o n a l

o b j e c t m u s t b e b a s e d u p o n p r e s e n t a t io n o f t h e s a m e so r t o f i n t e n t io n a l o b j e c t .

O n l y w i t h 9 * c a n H u s s e r l c o n c l u d e t h a t m y p r e - r e fl e c t iv e a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h

m y c o n s c i o u s n e ss is a p r e c o n d i t i o n f o r i d e n t i f y i n g s o m e t h i n g a s a n o t h e r c o n -s c io u s n e ss . F o r i f o n e ' s a p p r e s e n t a t i v e c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t is o r

c a n b e b a s e d o n t h e p r e s e n t a ti o n o f s o m e t h i n g o t h e r th a n a co n s c io u s n es s ,

t h e n H u s s e r l i s n o t e n t i t l e d t o i n f e r t h a t o n e ' s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b -

j e c t m u s t b e b a s e d u p o n o n e ' s p r e- re f le c ti v e a c q u a i n ta n c e w i t h o n e ' s o w n

consc iousness .

N o w t h e q u e s t i o n i s " I s ( o r c a n ) t h e a p p r e s e n t a t i v e c o n s c io u s n e s s o f

a n o t h e r s u b je c t (b e ) b a s e d o n t h e p r e s e n t a ti o n o f s o m e t h in g o t h e r t h a n a

c o n s c i o u s n e s s ? " U p o n w h a t b a s i s d o I i d e n t i f y , s a y , S m i t h a s a p e r s o n ? I

i d e n t i fy h i m a s a p e r s o n o n t h e b a si s o f m y p e r c e p t i o n o f h is b o d y , m o v e -m e n t s , v o i c e , e t c . O n e s i m p l y f i n d s n o " t r a n s f e r " f r o m o n e ' s o w n c a s e ,

p r o v i d e d t h a t o n e i s c a r e fu l n o t t o c o n f u s e w h a t is e x p e r i e n c e d p r e - re f l e c t iv e l y

w i t h t h e p r o d u c t s o f r e f l e c t io n . I d o n o t m i s t a k e m y g la ss es f o r a p e r s o n

b e c a u s e t h e y d o n o t l o o k , s o u n d , o r f e e l l ik e o n e . P r e m i s e 9 " , i n s h o r t, is

f a l s e . O n e ' s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f s o m e t h i n g a s a n o t h e r s u b j e c t i s b a s e d o n

t h e p r e s e n t a ti o n o f s o m e t h i n g o t h e r t h a n o n e ' s o w n c o n s ci o u sn e s s.

S h e e r a n a l y s is a n d d e s c r i p t io n s i m p l y d o n o t b e a r o u t H u s s e r l' s p o s i t i o n . N o I

a p p e a r s i n p r e - r e f le c t iv e c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t . W e s ee t h e r a t i o n a l e

b e h i n d r a is in g S a r t r e 's c r it ic i sm s o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l e g o t h e o r y . H u s s e r l ' s

t h e o r y t h a t o n e t r a n s f e r s f r o m o n e ' s o w n c as e r e q u ir e s t h e s a m e k i n d o f

desc r ip t i ve mi s t ake t ha t S a r t r e d i scusses .

I V . C o n c l u d in g R e m a r k s

T h o u g h m u c h m o r e c a n b e s aid a b o u t H u s s e r l' s f i ft h m e d i t a t io n , I h a v e c o n -

s id e r e d s o m e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p a r t s i n s u f f ic i e n t d e t a i l t o b e a b le t o

a d d r e s s th e q u e s t i o n w i t h w h i c h I o p e n e d t h is p a p e r , n a m e l y , " I s H u s s e r l ' s

f i f t h m e d i t a t i o n a n a c c e p t a b l e p r e l u d e t o h is a n al y si s o f p h e n o m e n o l o g y i t-

self?."

I t s h o u l d b e c l ea r t h a t I t h i n k t h e a n s w e r is " n o " . I n t h e f i rs t p l a ce , t h e

d i s cu s s io n o f t h e s o -c a ll ed " r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s is m i s c o n -

c e iv e d a s w e l l as c o n f u s e d . I t is c o n f u s e d , f o r t h e " r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h e r e o f

o w n n e s s i s n o t a n o t h e r p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l r e d u c t i o n a t a l l . R a t h e r , H u s s e r l

m e r e l y d e l im i t s a p a r t i c u l a r s u b j e c t m a t t e r f o r d i s cu s s io n w h e n h e m i s le a d i n g l y

r e f e rs t o a " s e c o n d e p o c h S " . T h e d is c u s s io n o f t h e " s e c o n d r e d u c t i o n " is m i s -

c o n c e i v e d , t o o , i n s o f a r a s i t i s s u p p o s e d t o m a k e u s s e e t h e h i e r a r c h y o f

p r o b l e m s t h a t i s c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e d e s c r i p ti v e a n a ly s i s o f t h e p e r c e p t i o n o fs o m e o n e e l s e . F o r t h e r e i s a d i f f i c u l t y w i t h t h e v e r y s e t o f p r o b l e m s t h a t

Husser l d i s t inguishes .

T h e s o - ca l le d " r e d u c t i o n " t o t h e s p h e r e o f o w n n e s s o s t e n s i b l y a l lo w s u s t o

s ee t h a t t h e f o l lo w i n g t h r e e p r o b l e m s a r e a rr a n g e d in a h i e r a r c h y : ( 1 ) W h a t is



283

c o n s t i t u t e d s o l e ly b y m e ? ( 2 ) H o w d o I c o n s t i t u t e a n o t h e r e g o a s t r a n s c e n d -

i n g l m y c o n s c i o u s n e s s ? a n d ( 3 ) H o w d o w e ( t h e o t h e r e g o a n d I) m a k e

t r a n s c e n d e n c % , a n d t h u s t h e o b j e c t i v e w o r l d , p o s s ib l e ? T h e d i f f i c u l t y is w i t h

p r o b l e m 3 , s in c e it p r e s u p p o s e s t h a t a n o t h e r e g o w h o m e r e l y t ra n s c e n d s1 m yc o n s c i o u s n e s s c a n b e a c o - c o n s t i t u t o r o f t h e w o r l d .

T h a t p r e s u p p o s i t i o n is fa ls e. In o r d e r t o m a k e t h e t r a n s c e n d e n c % o f e v e ry -

t h in g b u t h i m s e l f p o s s ib l e , t h e o t h e r e g o m u s t b e s o m e o n e f o r w h o m t h e

w o r l d i s, as H u s s e r l sa y s , " t h e r e , t o o " . I f I id e n t i f y t h e a l t e r e g o a s s o m e o n e

w h o c o n s t i t u t e s t h e w o r l d a l o n g w i t h m e , I h a v e i d e n ti f ie d t h i n g s a s b e i n g f o r

h i m e v e n i f h e is n o t f o r m e , a c t u a l l y o r p o s s i b l y . I n s h o r t, t h e a l t e r eg o m u s t

t ra n s c e n d 2 m y c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n o r d e r t o b e a c o - c o n s t i t u t o r o f t h e o b j e c t iv e

w o r l d .

A s i m p l e t h o u g h t e x p e r i m e n t s h o w s t h i s . M y d e a t h w o u l d a m o u n t t o t h ec e s s a t i o n o f m y a c t u a l a n d p o s s i b l e c o n s c i o u s n e s s ; y e t t h a t can be t rue whi l e

t h in g s c o n t i n u e t o b e f o r a n o t h e r c o n s t i t u t i n g s u b j e c t . I f t h a t c o u l d n o t b e

t r u e , t h e s u b je c t s i m p l y c o u l d n o t b e s o m e o n e f o r w h o m t h e w o r ld is " th e r e ,

t o o " .

I f t h e a l t e r e g o m u s t tr a n s c e n d 2 o n e ' s c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n o r d e r t o c o -

c o n s t i t u t e t h e w o r l d , th e n H u s s e rl c a n n o t a c c o u n t f o r t h e tr a n sc e n d e n c e2 o f

t h e w o r l d i n t e r m s o f a n a l t e r e g o t h a t m e r e l y t ra n s c e n d s 1 . T h i s i s n o t t o

m e n t i o n t h e i n t e rs u b j e c t iv e i d e n t i f ia b i l i ty a n d t e s t a b i l i t y o f th e a s s e r t io n s

tha t compr i se Husse r l ' s ana lys i s . Th i s means t ha t i t i s necessa ry t o r ecognize

t h e p r i m a c y o f i n t e r s u b je c t iv i t y in p h e n o m e n o l o g y , a p r i m a c y th a t H u s s er l

d o e s n o t r e c o g n i z e i n hi s h i e r a r c h y o f p r o b l e m s . I n o r d e r t o a c c o u n t f o r t h e

t r a n s c e n d e n c e 2 o f t h i n g s, t h e t r a n s c e n d e n c % o f a n o t h e r p o s s i b le s u b j e c t

m u s t b e p r e s u p p o s e d . I t c a n n o t b e d e r iv e d f r o m m o r e p r im i t iv e c o n c e p t s . T h e

p r i m a c y o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y d o e s n o t p r e c l u d e a p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l an a l y si s o f

t h e s e n se ' o t h e r s u b j e c t ' . I t p r e c l u d e s o n l y H u s s e r l ' s p a r t i c u l a r a p p r o a c h t o

the ana lys i s .

W hen th i s i s con jo ined w i th t he desc r ip t i ve e r ro r I d i scussed ea rl ie r , i t be -

c o m e s c l e a r t h a t H u s s e r l ' s f if t h m e d i t a t i o n i s n o t a n a c c e p t a b l e p r e l u d e t o h is

c l a ri f ic a t io n s o f h is o w n e n t e r p r i s e .

Y e t t h e r e i s m u c h t o b e le a r n e d f r o m H u s s e r l a b o u t t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l

p r o b l e m o f i n t e r s u b j e c t iv i t y . H u s s e rl h a d , I t h i n k , a c l e ar i n si g h t in t o m a n y o f

t h e c o n c e p t u a l c o n n e c t i o n s b e t w e e n i n t er s u b j e c ti v i ty a n d p h e n o m e n o l o g y

( s ee H P I ) . M o r e o v e r , s o m e o f h i s d e s c r ip t i o n s , e v e n in Cartes ian Meditat ions ,

a r e n o t e n t i r e l y i n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e d e s c r i p ti v e m i s t a k e t h a t I cr it ic i z e d . E v e n

in Cartes ian Meditat ions Husse r l wr i t e s o f t he i de n t i f i ca t i on and r e iden t i fi -

c a t i o n o f a n o t h e r s u b j e c t in t e r m s o f b e h a v i o r ( C M , p . 1 1 4 ). H u s s e r l 's d is -

c u s si o n o f th e p e r c e p t i o n o f a m a n n e q u i n i n E x p e r ie n c e a n d J u d g m e n t c a n b e

m o d i f i e d s l ig h t ly i n o r d e r t o i l lu m i n a t e t h e p e r c e p t i o n o f o t h e r s u b j e c ts . 14H u s s e r l ' s c l a r i f i c a t i o n o f i n t e r n a l t i m e - c o n s c i o u s n e s s w o u l d p l a y a r o l e i n a

s o l u t i o n , t o o . I t s e e m s th a t s o m e o f H u s s e r l ' s i n si g h ts , a l o n g w i t h m o d i f i-

c a t io n s a n d s u p p l e m e n t s ( w h i c h w o u l d i n c l u d e t a k i n g in t o a c c o u n t w h a t

s o m e o t h e r w r i te r s h a v e n o t i c e d ) , c o u l d b e u s e d t o w o r k o u t a q u a s i- H u s s er fi an

s o l u ti o n t o t h e n r o b l e m o f i n t e r s u b i e c t iv i t v J s



284

NOTES

1. Peter Hutchesoh, "Husserl's Problem of Intersubjectivity", Journal of the British

Society for Phenomenology 11, no. 2 (May 1980): 144-62. Hereafter: HPI.

2. Husserl himself invites us to interpre t Formaland TranscendentalLogic and Cartesian

Meditations in connection with each other. See Lester Embree, ed., Life-World and

Consciousness (Evanston: Nor thwester n University Press, 1972), p. Xv.

3. David Cart, Phenomenology and the Problem o f History (Evanston: Northwestern

University Press, 1974), p. 85. Hereafter: PPH.

4. Paul Ricoeur, Husserh An Analysis o f His Phenomenology, trans. E.G. Ballard and

Lester Embree (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1967), p. 118. Hereafter:

AHP.

5. Edm und Husserl, Cartesian Meditations, trans. Dor ion Cairns (The Hague: Martinus

Nijhoff, 1973), p. 95. Hereafter: CM.

6. Frederick Elliston, "Husserl's Phenomenology of Empa thy ", in F. Elliston and P.

McCormick, eds., Husserl: Expositions and Appraisals (Notre Dame: University of

Notre Dame Press, 1977), p. 218. Hereafter: H:E&A.

7. The reader will note that I rejected Ricoeur's interpretation only on the condition

that t he " second reduct ion" is genuine.

8. Edmund Husserl, Formal and Transcendental Logic, trans. Dorion Cairns (The

Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1969), pp. 237-44. Hereafter: FTL.

9. I say "ostensibly solipsistic", since I argued that there is no principle whereby one

can distinguish between a solipsistic and an intersubjective stage of phenomenology

in "Solipsistic and Intersubjective Pheno menol ogy", Human Studies 4, no. 2 (1981):

165 -7 8. Husserl's talk o f a "solipsistic" stage of phenomenology can be construed

only as a name of a discussion of a certain subject matter. Otherwise, there are un-

answerable object ions to wha t Husserl says.

10. At this poin t I am merely explicating Husserl's rationale. Below I reject Husserl's

ordering of problems.

11. Although Husserl says "have been refined by mutual criticism", that is a mistake. If

objective results required actual mutual criticism, then the assertion that some re-

suits are objective would involve commitment to the existence of others, which

means that there could be no objectively valid results in phenomenology, for

Husserl's phenomeno logy begins and ends with neutrality on existential questions.

In order to allow for the possibility of such results in phenomeno logy, then, 'ob-

jectively valid results' must be defined as 'results which could be refined by mutual

criticism and which would withstand aU criticisms if there were others' .

12. Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness, trans. Hazel Barnes (New York : Washington

Square Press, 1966), p. 343. Hereafter : BN.

13. Jean-Paul Sartre, The Transcendence of the Ego, trans. Forrest Williams and Robert

Kirkpatriek (New York: Noonday Press, 1957), p. 44. Hereafter: TE.

14. Edmund Husserl, Experience and Judgment, trans. James Churchill and Karl

Amerlks (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1973), pp. 91-96. I say "can

be modified slightly", since Husserl is trying to show that logical concepts have a

perceptual basis in t he passage, rather tha n making a point about the perception of

other subjects.

15. I am indeb ted to David Carr and J.N. Mohanty for their helpful comments on an

earlier version of thi s paper.

fifth meditation

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