Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Understanding the representational mind: A phenomenological perspective

  • Published:
Human Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper reflects on the relationship between Husserlian phenomenology and scientific psychology. It tries to show how phenomenological results have relevance and validity for present-day cognitive developmental psychology by arguing that consciousness matters in the study of the representational mind. The paper presents some methodological remarks concerning empirical or applied phenomenology; it describes the conception of an exploratory developmental study with 3 to 9-year-old children viewing a complex pictorial display; it then illustrates how a phenomenological interpretation of the data works; in conclusion, it sketches a view of realism about conscious experiences which is taken to be inherent in the phenomenological perspective of understanding the representational mind.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bernet, R., Kern, I., and Marbach, E. (1993). An introduction to Husserlian phenomenology. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurwitsch, A. (1964). The field of consciousness. Pittsburgh: Duquesne University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurwitsch, A. (1966). Studies in phenomenology and psychology. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Husserl, E. (1966). Analysen zur passiven Synthesis (Husserliana XI). The Hague: M. Nijhoff.

    Google Scholar 

  • Husserl, E. (1973). Ding and Raum. Vorlesungen 1907 (Husserliana XVI). The Hague: M. Nijhof.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kern, I. (1975). Idee and Methode der Philosophie. Leitgedanken für eine Theorie der Vernunft. Berlin: W. de Gruyter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marbach, E. (1988). How to study consciousness phenomenologically, or Quite a lot comes to mind. Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology 19 (3): 252–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marbach, E. (1993). Mental representation and consciousness. Towards a phenomenological theory of representation and reference. Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1967). La genèse des structures logiques élémentaires. Classifications et sériations. Neuchâtel: Delachaux et Niestlé.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bern, Institute of Philosophy, Unitobler, Laenggassstrasse 49A, CH-3000, Bern, Switzerland

    Eduard Marbach

Authors
  1. Eduard Marbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Marbach, E. Understanding the representational mind: A phenomenological perspective. Hum Stud 19, 137–152 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00131490

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00131490

Keywords

Search

Navigation