Studies in Phenomenology



Article/Publication Details
Views: 4977


MONADOLOGY, CRITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND PHENOMENOLOGY OF THE IMMORTAL „I“
(LEIBNIZ, KANT AND HUSSERL)

Title in the language of publication: MONADOLOGIE, KRITISCHE PHILOSOPHIE UND PHÄNOMENOLOGIE DES UNSTERBLICHEN ICH (LEIBNIZ, KANT UND HUSSERL)
Author: Ferrer Guillermo
Issue:HORIZON. Studies in Phenomenology.
Vol. 3, №2 (2014),  81-98
Language:German
Document Type:Research Article
DOI : 10.18199/2226-5260-2014-3-2-81-98 PDF (Downloads: 4023)

Abstract
This paper aims to research the different views of Leibniz, Kant and Husserl concerning the immortality of the «I». For this purpose I will read the Monadology from a phenomenological perspective, but taking into account Kants exposition of the Paralogismes in the Critic of Pure Reason. There he points out the illusion which consists in taking the identical, but finally empty representation of the «I» for the givenness of his real substantiality, even his possible persistency after death. Because of this appearance which arises again and again from our very self-awareness we trend to assert that the «I» could persist indefinitely, besides that he couldn’t be annihilated at all due to internal causes or to an antagonism with circumstances of the external world. But in spite of the force of this critic, we can find in Leibniz‘ Monadology and somehow in Husserls‘ writings drafts of another conception of the self- awareness which includes the experience on an organical continuity of the body. In the face of Kants‘ critic, this conception could perhaps raise new phenomenological questions about the relationship of self-awareness, mortality and even immortality of the «I». Thereby I want to show to what extent the question about the giveness or not-giveness of a certain infinity contribute to renew the meaning of a phenomenology of the death and the experience of mortality.

Key words
Leibniz, Kant, Husserl, monad, self-awareness, infinity, immortality.

References

  • Altobrando, A. (2010). Husserl e il problema delle monade. Turin: Trauben.
  • Belaval, Y. (1995). De l'âge classique aux lumières. Lectures Leibniziennes. Paris: Beauchesne.
  • Husserl, E. (1966). Analysen zur passiven Synthesis. Aus Vorlesungs- und Forschungsmanuskripten 1918–1926. (Hua XI). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
  • Husserl, E. (1973). Zur Phänomenologie der Intersubjektivität. Texte aus dem Nachlass. Dritter Teil. 1929–35. (Hua XV). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
  • Husserl, E. (1977). Ideen zu einer reinen Phänomenologie und phänomenologischen Philosophie. Erstes Buch: Allgemeine Einführung in die reine Phänomenologie. (Hua III/1). Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff.
  • Husserl, E. (1992). Die Krisis der europäischen Wissenschaften und die transzendentale Phänomenologie. Ergänzungsband. Texte aus dem Nachlass 1934–1937. (Hua XXIX). Den Haag: Kluwer.
  • Husserl, E. (2006). Späte Texte über Zeitkonstitution (1929–1934). Die C-Manuskripte. (Hua Materialien Vol. VIII). New York: Springer.
  • Kant, I. (1974). Kritik der reinen Vernunft. (Vol. III/1). Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.
  • Kant, I. (1983). Schriften zur Metaphysik und Logik. (Vol. III). Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.
  • Leibniz, G. W. (1996 a). Kleine Schriften zur Metaphysik. (Philosophische Schriften. Vol. 1). Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.
  • Leibniz, G. W. (1996 b). Neue Abhandlungen über den menschlichen Verstand I. (Philosophische Schriften. Vol. 3.1). Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.
  • Leibniz, G. W. (1999). Sämtliche Schriften und Briefe. Sechste Reihe. Berlin: Akademie.
  • Leibniz, G. W.(2007). Der Briefwechsel mit Bartholomäus des Bosses. Hamburg: Felix Meiner.
  • MacDonald, P. (2007). Husserl, the Monad and Immortality. Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomeno- logy, (7), 1–18. Retrieved from
    http://www.ipjp.org/index.php?option=com_jdownloas&Itemid=318&view=finish&cid=119&catid=31&m=0
  • Meillassoux, Q. (2006). Après la finitude. Essai sur la nécessité de la contingence. Paris: Seuil.
  • Meillassoux, Q. (2008). Nach der Endlichkeit. Versuch über die Notwendigkeit der Kontingenz. Zurich-Berlin: Diaphanes.
  • Poser, H. (2005). Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz zur Einführung. Hamburg: Junius.
  • Pradelle, D. (2006). Monadologie et phénoménologie. Philosophie, (92), 56–85.
  • Russell, B. (2008). A Critical Exposition of the Philosophy of Leibniz. Nottingham: Spokesman.
  • Serres, M. (2001). Le système de Leibniz et ses modèles mathématiques. Paris: PUF.