Phenomenology: An Introduction

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This book provides a concise and comprehensive introduction to the concept of phenomenology, perhaps the most important and influential movement in twentieth century philosophy.

It explains the development of the phenomenological method in the works of four thinkers: Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. It also addresses the criticisms directed at phenomenology by Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida, and the ways in which phenomenology has continued to flourish in spite of such critique, in the work of Michel Henry and Jean-Luc Marion.

The text includes many helpful features such as key definitions, sample essay and exam questions, an extensive bibliography, and suggested readings for each topic covered, making the book an ideal companion to any course in phenomenology and phenomenological thinkers. The book presupposes no prior knowledge on the part of the reader, making it suitable for those encountering phenomenology for the first time, but it also provides an original interpretation that will be of lasting value to postgraduates and scholars.

Reviews

"Phenomenology: An Introduction fills a gap in the existing literature on phenomenology in a most effective and lively way: by taking up the major concepts pursued by the leading figures of this philosophical movement, discussing these concepts with great clarity and insight, and relating them to contemporary thinkers who write in the wake of the founders. This book will be widely read and appreciated by students of phenomenology and by general readers who wish to explore this major philosophical school. For both, there could be no better way to gain entry into the unique world of thought that phenomenology offers." - Edward S. Casey, Distinguished Professor, SUNY at Stony Brook, USA
... highly engaging and stimulating... this book's quality truly stands out amongst its competitors... sure to be appreciated by students and academics alike; it belongs in every university library. -- American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly
Included in a textbook round-up in the Times Higher Education.

Author Bio

Michael Lewis is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Newcastle, UK. Tanja Staehler is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sussex, UK.