Phenomenology A Sociological Theory

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Phenomenology

• Phenomenology has its origin in Symbolic Interactionism. It is the philosophical study of the structure of subjective experience and consciousness.

• It is a philosophical movement developed by Edmund Husserl and later Alfred Schutz developed it along the line of sociology.

• It lays emphasis on the internal workings of human mind and the way that humans classify and make sense of the world around them.

• It seek to explain the meaning of phenomenon/action/things, rather than explain how they come into existence.

• Phenomenology maintains that people can only know what they experienced. 

• The theory contends that people come in contact with social reality through the sense of touch, smell, hearing, sight, and taste.

• In summary, the theory is of the view that people give meaning to things based on their experience with such things.

The views of Edmund Husserl

• Born in Czech Republic in 1859 and died in 1938.

• He was of the view that classification of things is entirely a product of the human mind.

• He further maintained that humans can never determine the true nature of things unless they experience it,(experience is the best teacher).

• For him in trying to secure knowledge humans should bracket reality and common sense belief. - That reality and common sense should not be used in determining things because phenomenon or things take meaning in the mind as humans perceive it.