phenomenology

noun [fəˈnɑməˌnɑlɑˌɡi]

pronunciation

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, open source

Phenomenology means a description, history or explanation of phenomena, and in modern philosophy also a current that studies consciousness by describing what appears in it.

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Definitions

gen. / sci. A description, history or explanation of phenomena: a register of what appears to observation, together with their connections, without a necessary leap into speculation about an essence beyond the appearance.

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sci. / hist. lex. A branch of a discipline focused on the course and links of appearances (the phenomenal side), in Arct's historical contrast with a science of general laws (nomology).

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philos. In modern philosophy: a current or method for studying conscious experience (intentions, structures of meaning), often with suspension of prior claims about the outer world. Historical school names (e.g. a current linked with Husserl) are a contemporary register, to confirm with a source at review.

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colloq. In everyday and journalistic talk: shorthand for "a description of what is going on / what appears", sometimes confused with phenomenalism (the thesis that knowledge is limited to phenomena alone) or with phenomenon as "something extraordinary".

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Examples

The seminar kept phenomenology as a description of appearances apart from phenomenalism: the first registers how symptoms unfold, the second limits knowledge to phenomena.

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Her handbook lined phenomenology up against nomology, marking where the phenomenal side ends and talk of general laws begins.

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In the philosophy course they noted that the phenomenology of the mind (Hamilton's phrase in Webster) is a description of conscious phenomena, not a finished metaphysics of the world.

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The columnist warned that a casual "phenomenology of the situation" is often only an ornate synonym for description, without a philosophical method.

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She weighed a phenomenological description of appearances against speculation about an essence beyond the phenomenon, asking where observation stops and metaphysical claim begins.

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Usage

Everyday English often treats phenomenology as a tag for "a careful description of what appears", sometimes without separating scientific, historical-lexical and philosophical registers. Careful prose keeps layers distinct: a general description or explanation of phenomena (Webster); a branch of a science concerned with the phenomenal side as against nomology (Arct); and a modern philosophical current of consciousness. State plainly which layer you mean. Otherwise the lemma melts into phenomenalism, into phenomenon as "something extraordinary", and into plain reportage.

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Webster 1913 under Phenomenology gives the etymology Phenomenon + -logy (cf. F. phénoménologie) and defines it as describing, narrating or explaining phenomena, with Hamilton's citation "The phenomenology of the mind." Nearby stand Phenomenalism (the theory that limits positive or scientific knowledge to phenomena alone, whether material or spiritual), Phenomenist, and Phenomenon (L. phaenomenon, Gk. from phainein "to show"). Skeat 1910 under PHENOMENON records L./Gk. and Der. phenomen-al, yet has no separate PHENOMENOLOGY lemma. Open lemmas supply the lexical facts; wording here is written separately.

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Editorial team; facts: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913; W. W. Skeat, An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, 1910, open source

Arct (9th ed., 1921) records Fenomenologia as the part of any science that deals with the phenomenal side (how symptoms arise, how they link) and cross-refers to Nomologja. Fenomenologiczny is glossed as "zjawiskowy" (phenomenal). Nearby stand Fenomen, Fenomenalny and Fenomenalizm. Under Nomologja Arct records a science of general laws and sets phenomenology as the opposite. That is 1920s lexical evidence, not this site's definition. From Arct only the lexical fact and the contrast are taken.

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Editorial team; facts: M. Arct, Słownik wyrazów obcych, 9th ed., Warsaw 1921, open source

Frequent pairings are philosophical phenomenology, phenomenology of mind, phenomenology of phenomena, phenomenological description, and phenomenological method. Phenomenologist names an adherent; phenomenological is the related adjective. Careful writers keep the lemma clear of nomology (general laws as against the phenomenal side), phenomenalism (knowledge limited to phenomena), and bare empirical reportage without a philosophical method. Borders still shift by author.

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Word forms

Regular English noun, usually uncountable; the plural phenomenologies is rare and marks distinct kinds or historical versions of the method or current.

word forms

przypadek	forma
singular	phenomenology
plural	phenomenologies

Word forms: Editorial team

Collocations

philosophical phenomenology

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phenomenology of mind

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phenomenology of phenomena

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phenomenological description

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phenomenological method

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Synonyms · Antonyms

Synonyms description / explanation of phenomena (in Webster: description, history, or explanation of phenomena; general range, not a full synonym of the philosophical current), phenomenal description / phenomenal side (in Arct: Fenomenologiczny = zjawiskowy; Fenomenologia = the part of a science concerned with the phenomenal side), phenomenalism (lexical neighbour, not a synonym: limits knowledge to phenomena; in teaching often confused with phenomenology)

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Editorial team; facts: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 (Phenomenology: description, history, or explanation of phenomena), open source

Antonyms nomology (in Arct: science of general laws; expressly the opposite of phenomenology as the phenomenal side), speculation about an essence beyond the appearance (didactic contrast to a description of phenomena; editorial scope, not a single dictionary antonym), science of general laws without a description of how appearances unfold (Arct's contrast; do not confuse with phenomenalism)

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Editorial team; facts: M. Arct, Słownik wyrazów obcych, 1921 (Nomologja = science of general laws; opposite: Fenomenologia), open source

Etymology

English phenomenology joins the Greek-Latin base phenomenon (that which appears; from phainein "to show") with the -logy ending ("study, account"). Webster 1913 under Phenomenology derives the word from Phenomenon + -logy (cf. F. phénoménologie) and gives the sense description, history, or explanation of phenomena, with Hamilton's citation on the phenomenology of the mind. Phenomenon is traced to L. phaenomenon and Gk. (phainesthai "to appear", phainein "to show"). Skeat 1910 lists PHENOMENON with the same L./Gk. base and Der. phenomen-al; that dictionary has no stand-alone PHENOMENOLOGY entry. Arct 1921 notes Fenomenologia, Fenomenologiczny, Fenomen, Fenomenalny and Fenomenalizm, and cross-links Nomologja as the opposite. Editorial senses above are drafted apart from those dictionary wordings. A related Polish noun is fenomenologia.

source

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913, open source

also

W. W. Skeat, An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., Oxford 1910, open source

also

M. Arct, Słownik wyrazów obcych, 9th ed., Warsaw 1921, open source

Related words

phenomenologist , noun: person who practises or holds phenomenology (editorial formation from phenomenology + -ist)
phenomenological , adjective: pertaining to phenomenology (editorial formation; cf. Arct Fenomenologiczny)
phenomenon , related base noun: L. phaenomenon, Gk. (Webster 1913 Phenomenon; Skeat 1910 PHENOMENON)
phenomenal , related adjective: pertaining to phenomena; also "extraordinary" in colloquial use (Webster 1913 Phenomenal; Skeat Der. phenomen-al; Arct Fenomenalny)
phenomenalism , related noun (philos. neighbour): theory that limits positive knowledge to phenomena alone (Webster 1913 Phenomenalism; Arct Fenomenalizm)
phenomenist , related noun: adherent of phenomenalism (Webster 1913 Phenomenist)
nomology , contrastive neighbour (hist. lex.): science of general laws as against the phenomenal side (Arct Nomologja)
fenomenologia , etymologically related Polish noun

Related entries

The same entry in Polish: fenomenologia

Questions and answers

What does phenomenology mean in a general sense, and what in philosophy?

In a general and scientific sense it means a description or explanation of phenomena, or a branch focused on how appearances unfold. In the philosophical register the name covers a school and a method for working on conscious contents and their meaning. In everyday talk it is often an ornate synonym for careful reportage. Scope follows context.

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Where does the word phenomenology come from?

The base is Greek-Latin: phenomenon (from phainein "to show") plus -logy. Webster 1913 records Phenomenology (Phenomenon + -logy; cf. F. phénoménologie) and Phenomenon. Skeat 1910 has PHENOMENON and Der. phenomen-al, yet no separate PHENOMENOLOGY. Arct 1921 notes Fenomenologia and Fenomenologiczny. The English lemma follows that path.

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Editorial team; facts: Webster 1913; W. W. Skeat, An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, 1910; M. Arct, Słownik wyrazów obcych, 1921, open source

How does phenomenology differ from phenomenalism and nomology?

In Webster Phenomenology is a description or explanation of phenomena; Phenomenalism limits positive knowledge to phenomena alone. In Arct Fenomenologia is the phenomenal side of a science, and Nomologia names general laws (expressly the opposite). Phenomenalism is a neighbour, not a synonym. Casual talk confuses all three with "just describing what one sees".

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Editorial team; facts: Webster 1913 (Phenomenology, Phenomenalism); M. Arct 1921 (Fenomenologia, Fenomenalizm, Nomologja), open source

What are the word forms of phenomenology?

The noun is regular and usually uncountable: phenomenology. A plural phenomenologies is rare and marks distinct kinds or historical versions of the method or current. Related forms include phenomenologist (adherent) and phenomenological.

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