Tracing the Force of the Real Constitution of the Other: Starting from Husserl's Phenomenological View

Title

Tracing the Force of the Real Constitution of the Other: Starting from Husserl's Phenomenological View

Author

Wen-Sheng WANG

Page

27-54

DOI

Abstract

　　This paper starts from the research of the intersubjective constitution in Husserl's phenomenology, and shows that the real constitution of the other in the Western philosophy basically appeals to two different forces, namely the force of natural purpose and that of moral will, which, according to a just simple division, respectively originate from the Greek and the Christian culture. The former can be represented by Aristotle's philosophy, while the later by Kant's philosophy. Certainly for them, the word "nature" (phýsis) can be comprehended in multiple meanings. Especially, it has some overlapping meaning with "reason" (lógos) of human beings, which itself is also consisted of many meanings. This manifests that the simple division as above mentioned really has more complex implications in regard to the relationship between "reason" and "nature" about which the Western philosophy has discussed long since.
　　Under this aspect, the concept "ethics" emerges. It is different from the concept "morality" . But because the meaning of "ethics" swings between natural destiny and moral reason, different philosophers conceive it in different ways. So this paper points out that Heidegger who tends to understand "ethics" in connection with the natural destiny has another view of ethics as Aristotle and Husserl who tend to conceive ethics in direction of the moral reason. Heidegger's this view of ethics is rather characterized with artistic spirit. On the other hand, if and how Husserl was more than Aristotle impacted by the Christianity is not yet treated in this paper.
　　After these complex implications have been cleared, we divide the different forces which constitute the other into the following three types: artistic, ethic and moral. They appear as result when we emphasize wisdom or will or both of them as the essential meaning of our reason to face the nature, including the other. So the topic of feeling—for example love, which is related to the Christian culture—as force to constitute the other is also not to be developed in this paper.
　　The discussions about the other could be more abundant within the Eastern or Chinese philosophy. The result of our research should provide them with some ideas to rethink. This is also to be investigated later.

Keyword

Phenomenology, Husserl, Heidegger, Aristotle, Kant, the Other, Natural Purpose, Moral Will, Ethics

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