Edmund Husserl was the founder of phenomenology while Martin Heidegger was its main precursor. Both philosophers include within their phenomenological theory a conception of "self" or "selfhood" as that which experiences phenomena. But while Husserl calls this self the "transcendental I", Heidegger's version is much more immanent and is called Dasein ("being-there").
Transcendental I vs Dasein
Edmund Husserl's concept of the "transcendental I" refers to the subject or ego that is the source of all conscious experience. According to Husserl, the transcendental I is a pre-reflective, pre-theoretical level of consciousness that underlies all of our experience and thought. It is the point of origin for all of our intentions and actions, and it is the source of our ability to direct our attention and to form concepts.
Martin Heidegger's concept of Dasein refers to the human mode of being or existence. Heidegger describes Dasein as being-in-the-world, which means that humans are not just conscious beings, but also beings that are always situated in a specific context or environment. Dasein is characterized by its ability to ask questions about its own existence and to engage in self-reflection.
Overall, the concepts of the "transcendental I" and Dasein both explore the nature of the human self and its relationship to the world. However, while Husserl's concept of the "transcendental I" emphasizes the subjective, consciousness-based nature of the self, Heidegger's concept of Dasein emphasizes the embodied, contextual nature of the self and its existence in the world.
Similarities and differences
One key similarity between Heidegger's "Dasein" and Husserl's "transcendental I" is that both Husserl and Heidegger were interested in understanding how we experience the world and how our subjective experience shapes our understanding of reality.
However, there are also significant differences between the two philosophers. One key difference is their focus and areas of interest. While Husserl is known for his work on the nature of consciousness and the self, Heidegger's work is more concerned with the nature of being and existence. Heidegger's concept of Dasein, which refers to the human mode of being or existence as being-in-the-world, is a central part of his philosophy and distinguishes his approach from that of Husserl.
Another key difference is their methodologies. While Husserl's approach is more systematic and formal, Heidegger's approach is more interpretive and hermeneutic. This difference is reflected in the way that the two philosophers approach the study of Phenomenology and the kinds of questions that they seek to answer.
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What is phenomenology
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*The writing of this text was assisted by OpenAI’s GPT-3 model and modified by the author.