Ontological Minimalism about Phenomenology
Article first published online: 14 DEC 2010
DOI: 10.1111/j.1933-1592.2010.00421.x
© 2010 Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, LLC
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How to Cite
SCHELLENBERG, S. (2011), Ontological Minimalism about Phenomenology. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 83: 1–40. doi: 10.1111/j.1933-1592.2010.00421.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 20 JUL 2011
- Article first published online: 14 DEC 2010
- Abstract
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I develop a view of the common factor between subjectively indistinguishable perceptions and hallucinations that avoids analyzing experiences as involving awareness relations to abstract entities, sense-data, or any other peculiar entities. The main thesis is that hallucinating subjects employ concepts (or analogous nonconceptual structures), namely the very same concepts that in a subjectively indistinguishable perception are employed as a consequence of being related to external, mind-independent objects or property-instances. These concepts and nonconceptual structures are identified with modes of presentation types. Since a hallucinating subject is not related to any such objects or property-instances, the concepts she employs remain empty. I argue that the phenomenology of hallucinations and perceptions can be identified with employing concepts and analogous nonconceptual structures. By doing so, I defend an ontologically minimalist view of the phenomenology of experience that (1) vindicates Aristotelianism about types and (2) amounts to a naturalized view of the phenomenology of experience.

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