04/22/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 6 of 18)

0019 Before continuing, I note that the relational structures in the prior blogs are presented in A Primer on the Category-Based Nested Form and A Primer on Sensible and Social Construction.  A two-level interscope characterizes sensible construction.  Sensible construction presumes a functioning perspective level, even though that perspective level may not be articulated.

0020 Now, I move on to test two, the latent exclusion of hermeneutics by Husserl’s paradigm.

What would a situation-level hermeneutic look like?

0021 Here is my guess, based on the essay.

A hermeneutic paradigm3b brings metaphysical realism2b into relation with the possibilities inherent in interpretation1b.

Figure 04

0022 This arrangement is not permitted.

Obviously, the actuality2 of this situation levelbmetaphysical realism2b, grates against the positivist intellect3a, because it2b defies its3a rule against metaphysics.  Less obviously, a difficulty originates from the reality that hermeneutics3b does not share the same perspective as the positivist intellect3a.  

Where is the perspective level?  

It is latent.

The term, “latent”, qualifies, because the perspective level of the Positivist’s judgment is not articulated.  It2c is just there.

It2c is simply given.

0023 What does this further imply?

Perceptive phenomenologists, such as the Catholic Jean-Luc Marion, note this lack of perspective and wonder what to do with it.  Could hermeneutics apply?  If so, then a normal context of hermeneutics3c could virtually contextualize Husserl’s paradigm3b, as Husserl’s project3b virtually situates the positivist intellect3a.

Would a perspective-level hermeneutics3c condone the rule of the positivist intellect3a?

I do not think so.

04/21/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 7 of 18

0024 So, hermeneutics3c does not put Husserl’s project3b into perspectivec.

What does this imply?

Perhaps, the perspective level does not want to be articulated.  Perhaps, it flourishes on the basis of some trickery.  Take a close look at the two-level interscope and guess what that trickery may involve.

0025 At this juncture, I have answered test two.

The latent difficulty between phenomenology and hermeneutics concerns the perspective level, which is not articulated.  Who knows what is in the perspective level?  Many may guess.  But, two points are certain.  Husserl’s project3b and the positivist intellect3a align with an unspoken perspective.  A situation-level hermeneutics3b and the positivist intellect3a do not.

0026 This answer raises the third test, asking, “What is the subject matter of phenomenology3b?”

04/20/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 8 of 18)

0027 Test three.

What does phenomenology3b do?

0028 In section three, the authors propose that Husserl’s phenomenology3b approaches reality1a by transcending the explanatory intentionality2a of the exact sciences3a.  Reality1a is a noumenon1a and its phenomena1a.  The explanatory intentionality2a of the exact sciences is the empirio-schematic judgment2a.   Phenomenology3b approaches reality1athrough phenomenological reduction2b.

In sum, phenomenology virtually situates hands-on first-order science.

Figure 05

0029 The authors continue, saying (more or less), “Consciousness (trained in the methods of phenomenological reduction2b) unveils the face of subjectivity (the noumenon1a) that has been eclipsed by positive objectivism (the positivist intellect3a).”

This quote fits the picture of Husserl’s project3b virtually situating hands-on natural science3a.

This quote fits the idea that phenomenological reduction2b elucidates what the noumenon1a must be1b.

0030 Notably, a return to the noumenon1b renders a subjectivity that can be shared by others in the same situation.  Phenomenological reduction2b elucidates an intersubjective being1b in the category of firstness, the realm of possibility.

According to the authors, Husserl’s project3b has been criticized for reducing intersubjectivity to the field of consciousness.  However, consciousness has already been narrowed by hands-on science to a cogito (the essence of the positivist intellect3a, including the rule of no metaphysics).  

So, the terminus of phenomenological reduction2bwhat the noumenon1a must be1b (that is, a noumenon1b), is a mind-dependent being, capable of being treated as a mind independent being.  I would go as far as to conjecture that this capacity directly correlates to the intersubjectivity of the noumenon1b.

04/19/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 9 of 18)

0031 German philosopher and phenomenologist, Alfred Schutz (1899-1959), proposes that the noumenon1b is an intersubjective being1b that opens up a potential for dialogue with others.  In other words, one consciousness asks for a consensus from other consciousnesses, on the question of whether this intersubjective being1b is… well… worthy of consideration.

By whom?

The positivist intellect3a?

0032 What does this dialogue among consciousnesses resolve?

The authors posit several options.

One, the qualitative researcher consolidates an inclusive knowledge mediated by the experience of intersubjectivity.  To the extent that a consensus is achieved, the noumenon1b may overwrite the noumenon1a.  Then, the slot for the noumenon1a is occupied by what the noumenon1a must be1b, the noumenon1a(1b).

Two, contemporary knowledge integrates daily life (that is, routine modern life), science and technical reflexivity.  In effect, the revolution of phenomenology applies to life in the Laboratory (the union of all laboratories).   A consensus on the noumenon1b offers the opportunity for a novel empirio-schematic discipline2a (a novel hands-on science).

Three, the noumenon1a(1b) elucidated by phenomenologists3b, is objectified by its phenomena1a.  These phenomena1a are situated directly by the empirio-schematic judgment2a of hands-on researchers3a.  The intersubjective nature of the noumenon1a(1b) attracts a community of inquirers.

0033 Here is a picture of this consolidation.

Figure 06

0034 Four, phenomenology is a radical self-foundation of complete intellectual clarity.  In effect, once a noumenon1boverwrites a noumenon1a, a novel scientific inquiry opens, where the noumenon1a(1b) [can be objectified as] its phenomena1a.  As the novel empirio-schematic judgment2a consolidates, a consensus that the mind-dependent noumenon1a(1b) can be treated as an intersubjective mind-independent being, gains credibility.

Moreover, the shared experience of intersubjectivity brackets out common sense, natural scientific knowledge and metaphysical insights.  Consolidation converts social actors and their subjective realities into laboratory specimens.  Phenomenology3b is not interested in explanation.  Rather, it3b is interested in manifesting an intersubjective noumenon1a(1b) that can be objectified by its phenomena1a.  Then, an empirio-schematic inquiry2a, situating the objectifying phenomena1a, brings the intersubjective being1a(1b) to life, through subjective experiences within the research community3a.

04/18/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 10 of 18)

0035 Test three, continued.

What is the subject matter of phenomenology?

What is in the slogan, “Return to the noumenon?”

0036 The slogan directs consciousness3b towards elucidating what the noumenon1a must be1b.  The resulting noumenon1a(1b) is both novel and social.  It1a(1b) is novel because it is an intersubjective mind-dependent being1b that can be taken to be mind-independent1a.  It is social1b because the identification of the noumenon1b relies on individual and collective thought processes.

Here is a picture.

Figure 07
04/13/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 11 of 18)

0037 Here is an example.

To a scientist3a, a hollow metal tube1a (the thing itself1a) may contain standing waves that change frequency depending on the length of the tube (its phenomena1a).  Of course, the sound-making phenomena1a do not objectify the metal tube itself1a.

To a phenomenologist3b, the hollow metal tube1a turns out to be a flute1b.  Now, the sound-making phenomena1a of the instrument objectifies what the hollow metal tube1a must be1a, that is, a flute1a(1b).

Now, the phenomenologist3b may be dismissed, while another social scientist initiates an empirio-schematic inquiry into the phenomena1a of a flute1a(1b).

0038 Here is a picture of the resulting novel, social science.

Figure 08

0039 With this subject matter in mind, consider the following snippet from the article (with comments in parentheses).”…the current epistemic shift (in phenomenology3b)… advances from the (visionary scientist3b‘s) observation of the object (, a model2a in the empirio-schematic judgment2a,) to that of the phenomenon1a and the (Husserl-inspired3b) systemic network2b that observes and determines it1b.  The figure of the phenomenological interrelationship (the experience2b of an intersubjective being1b) is an act of revelation in which a human being3b manifests “him”-self… discovers “him”-self… a fact that contributes a growth project1b for the knowledge society2a (through a novel social science2a) that, despite technological advances, continues to find fractional human relationships (communities of inquirers3a committed to investigate2a the phenomena1a that objectify the intersubjective being1a(1b)).”

04/12/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 12 of 18)

0040 To date, one reverie and three commentaries, listed in the first blog in this series, propose propositions that ought to be tested.

Vargas Perez, Nieto Bravo and Santamaria Rodriguez, in the article entitled, “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in Human and Social Science Research”, provide material to test the arguments.

0041 Three tests have been considered.

0042 One, why is hermeneutics neglected in phenomenological inquiry?

The answer is that both hermeneutics and phenomenology are able to virtually situate natural (or “first-order”) science.  But, hermeneutics is disallowed on the basis of the rule of the positivist intellect, outlawing metaphysics.

0043 Two, what is the latent dilemma between hermeneutics and phenomenology?

The answer is that the situation-level normal context of Husserl’s project3b elbows out the normal context of hermeneutics3a.  Such is the logic of normal contexts.  The potential underlying Husserl’s paradigm3b is a return1b to the thing itself1a.  This return may be formulated as what the noumenon1a must be1b, (that is, the noumenon1b).

In contrast, the potential underlying hermeneutics3b is interpretation1b.

0044 Three, what is the subject matter of phenomenology?

The answer?

Phenomenological reduction2b elucidates a subjective being1bwhat the noumenon1a must be1b, capable of serving as an intersubjective being1b.  Intersubjective beings1b are curious creatures, since they simultaneously appeal to a suprasubjective perspective-level realm (a God’s eye view) and a consensus-driven content-level (a human’s eye view).  Thus, an intersubjective being1b may appear to be mind independent, despite its mind dependence.

Phenomenological reduction2b succeeds when its noumenon1b is regarded as mind independent and enters the slot for the noumenon1a, thereby creating novel conditions where phenomena1a can objectify their noumenon1a(1b).  A second-order social empirio-schematic inquiry2a follows.

0045 Once a social science takes off with a community of inquirers3a, the noumenon1a(1b) displays a life of its own.  A new Positivist judgment unfolds.  Husserl’s project is no longer capable of virtually situating this particular Positivist’s judgment.

How so?

Why is phenomenology3b needed when a noumenon1a(1b) [can be objectified as] its phenomena1a?

Figure 09
04/11/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 13 of 18)

0046 Test four.

Is there a role for hermeneutics in research in the social sciences?

0047 One opportunity is suggested at the end of the prior blog.

Let me go through a simple example.

I start with a mind-independent noumenon, named “methyl-salicylic acid”.  This chemical, when ingested, produces certain phenomena1a that may be observed and measured2a according to a pharmacological science2a.

0048 Here is a picture of the relevant hands-on natural science.

Figure 10

0049 This feature of modern living1a may be situated by Husserl’s project3b.

Figure 11

0050 The noumenon1b is “aspirin”.

Aspirin1b is a subjective being1b that is objectified by its phenomena1a.  The subjective becomes intersubjective, especially with the proper marketing.  This intersubjective being1b commands consensus, to the extent that it1b seems to be suprasubjective, that is, mind independent (in principle, rather than in instance).  Then, if the consensus permits, this noumenon1b overlays the originating noumenon1a, triggering the construction of a novel social science2a, investigating phenomena1a that objectify this noumenon1a(1b).

Figure 12

0051 The hypothetical journal, Innovations in Aspirin, publishes research articles2a examining a wide variety of topics concerning the uses (and abuses) of aspirin1a(1b).  Each article reports2a and models2a phenomena1a that objectify a novel social noumenon1a(1b).

04/8/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 14 of 18)

0052 Perez Vargas, Nieto Bravo and Santamaria Rodriguez argue that hermeneutics3b must play a role in the social sciences3a.  The authors provide three implicit forms2b that increase the potential for interpretation1b.  These forms constitute a hermeneutical reduction2b for novel social empirical sciences3a, such as the hypothetical discipline of aspirin studies2a.

0053 Here is a diagram.

Figure 13
04/7/22

Looking at John Perez Vargas, Johan Nieto Bravo and Juan Santamaria Rodriguez’s Essay (2020) “Hermeneutics and Phenomenology in… Social Sciences Research” (Part 15 of 18)

0054 The authors propose three implicit forms2b that increase the potential for interpretation1b of a content-level social science.  They present the forms according to their Latin names.

0055 One, subtilitas intelligendi is the form of understanding attributed to aspirin studies.

May I translate into English with the term, “subtle intelligence”?

Does aspirin1a relieve headaches1a?  Or is headache relief1a a phenomenon1a of the intersubjective being, aspirin1a(1b)?  Does intelligibility flow from the phenomena1a into the noumenon1a(1b) or the other way around?

0056 Two, subtilitas explancandi asks, “What models2a can be built by observations and measurements2a of the phenomena1a of aspirin1a(1b)?

The more convincing the models2a are and the more that the noumenon1a(1b) is objectified by its phenomena1a, the more suprasubjective (mind-independent from a God’s eye view) the intersubjective (consensus commanded from a human point of view) being appears.

0057 Three, subtilitas applicandi asks, “What type of results may accrue by applying2b or challenging2b the models2b?”

Of course, the simplest challenge for this example is the placebo.  What are effects of the ingestion of a pill flavored with citric acid and labeled as aspirin?  The placebo effect is the phenomenon of an internalized social mediation.

A more sophisticated challenge questions the meaning, presence and message that attends to the experience of a headache and its pharmacological… er… apparently magical… resolution by taking an aspirin.