Normativity, Meaning, and the Promise of Phenomenology (Routledge Research in Phenomenology)

The aim of this volume is to critically assess the philosophical importance of phenomenology as a method for studying the normativity of meaning and its transcendental conditions. Using the pioneering work of Steven Crowell as a springboard, phenomenologists from all over the world examine the promise of phenomenology for illuminating long-standing problems in epistemology, the philosophy of mind, action theory, the philosophy of religion, and moral psychology. The essays are unique in that they engage with the phenomenological tradition not as a collection of authorities to whom we must defer, or a set of historical artifacts we must preserve, but rather as a community of interlocutors with views that bear on important issues in contemporary philosophy. The book is divided into three thematic sections, each examining different clusters of issues aimed at moving the phenomenological project forward. The first section explores the connection between normativity and meaning, and asks us to rethink the relation between the factual realm and the categories of validity in terms of which things can show up as what they are. The second section examines the nature of the self that is capable of experiencing meaning. It includes essays on intentionality, agency, consciousness, naturalism, and moral normativity. The third section addresses questions of philosophical methodology, examining if and why phenomenology should have priority in the analysis of meaning. Finally, the book concludes with an afterword written by Steven Crowell. Normativity, Meaning, and the Promise of Phenomenology will be a key resource for students and scholars interested in the phenomenological tradition, the transcendental tradition from Kant to Davidson, and existentialism. Additionally, its forward-looking focus yields crucial insights into pressing philosophical problems that will appeal to scholars working across all areas of the discipline. Read more... "The aim of this volume is to critically assess the philosophical importance of phenomenology as a method for studying the normativity of meaning and its transcendental conditions. Using the pioneering work of Steven Crowell as a springboard, phenomenologists from all over the world examine the promise of phenomenology for illuminating long-standing problems in epistemology, the philosophy of mind, action theory, the philosophy of religion, and moral psychology. The essays are unique in that they engage with the phenomenological tradition not as a collection of authorities to whom we must defer, or a set of historical artifacts we must preserve, but rather as a community of interlocutors with views that bear on important issues in contemporary philosophy. The book is divided into three thematic sections, each examining different clusters of issues aimed at moving the phenomenological project forward. The first section explores the connection between normativity and meaning, and asks us to rethink the relation between the factual realm and the categories of validity in terms of which things can show up as what they are. The second section examines the nature of the self that is capable of experiencing meaning. It includes essays on intentionality, agency, consciousness, naturalism, and moral normativity. The third section addresses questions of philosophical methodology, examining if and why phenomenology should have priority in the analysis of meaning. Finally, the book concludes with an afterword written by Steven Crowell."--Résumé de l'éditeur Introduction Matthew Burch, Jack Marsh, and Irene McMullin Section I: Normativity, Meaning, and the Limits of Phenomenology 1. Constitutive, Prescriptive, Technical or Ideal? On the Ambiguity of the Term 'Norm' Sara Heinämaa 2. The Space of Meaning, Phenomenology, and the Normative Turn Leslie MacAvoy 3. Mind, Meaning and Metaphysics: Another Look Dan Zahavi 4. Ground, Background, and Rough Ground: Dreyfus, Wittgenstein, and Phenomenology David Cerbone 5. Inauthentic Theologizing and Phenomenological Method Martin Kavka Section II: Sources of Normativity 6. Intentionality and (Moral) Normativity John Drummond 7. The Sources of Practical Normativity Reconsidered - with Kant and Levinas Inga Römer 8. Resoluteness and Gratitude for the Good Irene McMullin Section III: Normativity and Nature 9. On Being a Human Self Mark Okrent 10. Normativity with a Human Face: Placing Intentional Norms and Intentional Agents back in Nature Glenda Satne & Bernardo Ainbinder 11. World-Articulating Animals Joseph Rouse Section IV: Attuned Agency 12. Moods as Active Joe Schear 13. Against Our Better Judgment Matthew Burch 14. Everyday Eros: Toward a Phenomenology of Erotic Inception Jack Marsh Section V: Epistemic Normativity 15. Normativity and Knowledge Walter Hopp 16. Appearance, Judgment, and Norms Charles Siewert 17. Husserl's and Heidegger's Transcendental Projects: From the Natural Attitude to Functioning Intentionality Dermot Moran Afterword A Philosophy of Mind: Phenomenology, Normativity, and Meaning Steven Crowell Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 List of Contributors 11 About the Authors 15 Acknowledgments 21 Introduction 22 Section I Normativity, Meaning, and the Limits of Phenomenology 28 1 Constitutive, Prescriptive, Technical, or Ideal? On the Ambiguity of the Term “Norm” 30 2 The Space of Meaning, Phenomenology, and the Normative Turn 50 3 Mind, Meaning, and Metaphysics: Another Look 68 4 Ground, Background, and Rough Ground: Dreyfus, Wittgenstein, and Phenomenology 83 5 Inauthentic Theologizing and Phenomenological Method 101 Section II Sources of Normativity 120 6 Intentionality and (Moral) Normativity 122 7 The Sources of Practical Normativity Reconsidered—With Kant and Levinas 141 8 Resoluteness and Gratitude for the Good 158 Section III Normativity and Nature 176 9 On Being a Human Self 178 10 Normativity With a Human Face: Placing Intentional Norms and Intentional Agents Back in Nature 195 11 World-Articulating Animals 216 Section IV Attuned Agency 236 12 Moods as Active 238 13 Against Our Better Judgment 253 14 Everyday Eros: Toward a Phenomenology of Erotic Inception 272 Section V Epistemic Normativity 290 15 Normativity and Knowledge 292 16 Appearance, Judgment, and Norms 311 17 Husserl’s and Heidegger’s Transcendental Projects: From the Natural Attitude to Functioning Intentionality 328 Afterword 348 A Philosophy of Mind: Phenomenology, Normativity, and Meaning 350 Index 376 Edited By Matthew Burch, Jack Marsh, And Irene Mcmullin. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.