PSE4801
Assignment 3
(Exceptional Answers)
Due July 2025
, PSE4801
Assignment 3: Exceptional Answers
Due July 2025
A Philosophical Exploration of Phenomenology and Its Implications for
Curriculum Theory and Practice
1.1 Phenomenology
Definition and Core Principles
Phenomenology, rooted in the philosophical works of Edmund Husserl, is a method and
theory of knowledge that centers on the first-person experience and the structures of
consciousness. It seeks to understand how phenomena appear to consciousness in
their purest, pre-reflective forms (Husserl, 1970). The phenomenological tradition was
further expanded by Martin Heidegger, who emphasized the ontological dimensions of
being-in-the-world, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, who foregrounded embodiment and
perception.
Core principles include:
• Intentionality: All consciousness is consciousness of something. This relational
structure means that every experience is directed toward an object or
phenomenon (Husserl, 1970).
• Epoché (Bracketing): This methodological suspension involves setting aside
presuppositions to focus on the phenomena as they are experienced, enabling
deeper access to their essence (Zahavi, 2003).
• Lived Experience: Phenomenology emphasizes the primacy of subjective,
embodied engagement with the world (Merleau-Ponty, 1962).
Assignment 3
(Exceptional Answers)
Due July 2025
, PSE4801
Assignment 3: Exceptional Answers
Due July 2025
A Philosophical Exploration of Phenomenology and Its Implications for
Curriculum Theory and Practice
1.1 Phenomenology
Definition and Core Principles
Phenomenology, rooted in the philosophical works of Edmund Husserl, is a method and
theory of knowledge that centers on the first-person experience and the structures of
consciousness. It seeks to understand how phenomena appear to consciousness in
their purest, pre-reflective forms (Husserl, 1970). The phenomenological tradition was
further expanded by Martin Heidegger, who emphasized the ontological dimensions of
being-in-the-world, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, who foregrounded embodiment and
perception.
Core principles include:
• Intentionality: All consciousness is consciousness of something. This relational
structure means that every experience is directed toward an object or
phenomenon (Husserl, 1970).
• Epoché (Bracketing): This methodological suspension involves setting aside
presuppositions to focus on the phenomena as they are experienced, enabling
deeper access to their essence (Zahavi, 2003).
• Lived Experience: Phenomenology emphasizes the primacy of subjective,
embodied engagement with the world (Merleau-Ponty, 1962).
