In my talk, I want to address the question of the contemporary relation between phenomenology and the sciences by critically examining Husserl’s project of the foundation of logic and individual sciences in phenomenology, with respect to the possibilities of it becoming realized today.
I will start by examining the foundations of logic in phenomenology, and especially the contribution of transcendental aesthetics that Husserl regarded as a necessary preliminary step to his transcendental logic. I will argue that the main phenomenological contribution to the clarification of logical concepts lies in achieving a deeper scientific self-understanding.
This insight can also be applied to the question of the relation between phenomenology and individual sciences, which will be the topic of the second part of my talk. The example of a vibrant exchange between phenomenology and cognitive science demonstrates that phenomenological insights and method can be fruitfully incorporated into empirical research. However, if phenomenology is to have a more systematic and foundational impact on science, it needs to be truly integrated into the university study programs of individual sciences, which would require close collaboration between phenomenologists and experts in particular empirical fields.