Saulius Geniusas (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), On the Origins of the Phenomenology of Pain May 16, 2013

Philosophy Workshop-Saulius Geniusas (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), On the Origins of the Phenomenology of Pain

Thursday, May 16, 2013 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
My paper has a threefold goal. First, it aims to fix the historical origins of the phenomenology of pain. According to my central thesis, these origins can be traced back to an enthralling discussion between Edmund Husserl and two of his most important teachers, Franz Brentano and Carl Stumpf. According to my reconstruction of this discussion, while Brentano defended the view that all feelings, including pain, are intentional experiences, and while Stumpf argued that pain is a non-intentional feeling-sensation, Husserl of the Logical Investigations provides compelling resources to resolve the polemic between his teachers by showing how pain can be conceived as a pre-intentional experience. Secondly, my paper aims to demonstrate why the Husserlian resolution of the controversy between Brentano and Stumpf is of importance for our understanding of the central phenomenological theme—intentionality. Thirdly, the paper also aims to establish the methodological relevance of descriptive psychology in the context of pain research. According to my argument, descriptive psychology provides an intriguing alternative to the two dominant standpoints in contemporary pain research: naturalism and social constructionism.
Location:

6 E 16 St Room D 1103

Admission:
Free; no tickets or reservations required; seating is first-come first-served

Official Website: http://www.newschool.edu/NSSR/eventsList.aspx?id=88589&DeptFilter=NSSR+Philosophy