Studia Phaenomenologica

Volume 11, 2011

Concepts of Tradition in Phenomenology

Vittorio De Palma
Pages 223-241

Quallen, Menschen, Gestirngeister. Intersubjektivität, Anomalität und Gemeinwelt aus phänomenologischer Sicht

This paper analyses the question of animals in the framework of the phenomenological problem of the common world. First, it underlines the contrast between Husserl’s idea of animals as subjects acting in accordance with a motivation, and the views of Descartes, Heidegger and Sellars, who consider animal behaviour as mechanical or instinctive. After an account of the phenomenological approach to the question of the common world and of Husserl’s position concerning animals, it is showed that the results of scientific research on animal behaviour mainly confirm that position.