Sixth Cartesian Meditation: The Idea of a Transcendental Theory of Method

"Ronald Bruzina's superb translation... makes available in English a text of singular historical and systematic importance for phenomenology." --Husserl Studies

"... a pivotal document in the development of phenomenology... essential reading for students of phenomenology twentieth-century thought." --Word Trade

"... an invaluable addition to the corpus of Husserl scholarship. More than simply a scholarly treatise, however, it is the result of Fink's collaboration with Husserl during the last ten years of Husserl's life.... This truly essential work in phenomenology should find a prominent place alongside Husserl's own works. For readers interested in phenomenology--and in Husserl in particular--it cannot be recommended highly enough." --Choice

"... a thorough critique of Husserl's transcendental phenomenology... raises many new questions.... a classic." --J. N. Mohanty

A foundational text in Husserlian phenomenology, written in 1932 and now available in English for the first time.

Fink's study of Descartes's sixth Meditation is an invaluable addition to the corpus of Husserl scholarship. More than simply a scholarly treatise, however, it is the result of Fink's collaboration with Husserl during the last ten years of Husserl's life. The textual notations and appendixes by Husserl, which are included in this book, demonstrate the close work between the two thinkers, and indeed they also show Husserl's endorsement of Fink's project. Bruzina, whose lengthy introduction sets forth the historical circumstances and context from which this work emerged, does a fine job illustrating the rightful importance of this work. This truly essential work in phenomenology should find a prominent place alongside Husserl's own works. For readers interested in phenomenology--and in Husserl in particular--it cannot be recommended highly enough.J. A. Bell, Southeastern Louisiana University, Choice, September 1995 Indiana University Press

Sixth Cartesian Meditation is a pivotal document in the development of one of the dominant philosophical directions of the twentieth century, Husserlian transcendental phenomenology. Meant to follow a systematic revision of Husserl's first five Cartesian Meditations, the Sixth Meditation, written in 1932, constituted a dialogue between Husserl and Fink, on the basic principles of phenomenology and its theoretical limits. The resulting text provides a framework for a radical reinterpretation of phenomenology. It is essential reading for students of twentieth-century thought.

RONALD BRUZINA is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He has published extensively on transcendental phenomenology.

Translator's Introduction

Draft of a Foreword

Prefatory Note (To the habilitation Text) December 1945

Sixth (Cartesian) Meditation: The Idea of a Transcendental Theory of Method

1. The Methodology limitation of the Previous Meditations

2. The theme of the transcendental theory of method

3. The 'self-reference' of phenomenology

4. The problem and articulation of the transcendental theory of method

5. Phenomenologizing as the action of reduction

6. Phenomenologizing as as a process of regressive analysis

7. Phenomenologizing in "constructive" phenomenology

8. Phenomenologizing as theoretical experience

9. Phenomenologizing as an action of ideation

10.Phenomenologizing as prediction

11.Phenomenologizing as 'making into a science'

A. The problem of the scientificity of phenomenologizing

B. The enworlding of phenomenologizing

C. The concept of 'science'

12. Phenomenology as transcendental idealism

Appendices: Texts by Edmund Husserl relating to Eugen Fink's Draft of a Sixth Meditation

Appendix I - XV

Translator's Notes

Index