Speaker: Dr. Katsunori Miyahara (Harvard University/University of Tokyo)

Abstract:
I plead for the introduction of the perspective of philosophical phenomenology into recent neuroscientific studies of consciousness. Since its origin in the mid-19th century, psychology developed in two diverging directions, namely, as descriptive psychology and as experimental psychology. Phenomenology as a philosophical discipline initiated by Edmund Husserl is a direct descendent of the descriptive psychology of Franz Brentano. Cognitive neuroscience is a distant offspring of the early experimental psychologists including Wilhelm Wundt. Because in part of this historical background, the perspective of phenomenology remains largely ignored (with some notable exceptions) in the burgeoning sciences of consciousness. I think this is unfortunate. After presenting a brief overview of Husserlian phenomenology and its historical origin, in this talk, I will illustrate how the absence of the phenomenological perspective can mislead scientific investigations of consciousness by taking the experimental use of the psychological phenomenon of binocular rivalry as a central example.

Entrance is free. Registration is required. Please go here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/consciousness-club-30-phenomenology-for-sale-used-like-new-tickets-42941465078