The Two Fundamental Forms of Consciousness Analysis

The phenomenology of consciousness in the common sense refers to the phenomenology of consciousness experience or act. All through Husserl’s life, most of his analyses of consciousness in his published works are the phenomenological analyses of the static structure of consciousness experience; in his lectures and manuscripts, whereas, the analyses of the genetic structure of consciousness already began early from 1905. The analyses of consciousness at that time were no longer limited to those of consciousness experience but had, since 1916, been definitely directed upon those of consciousness capacity or capability (Bewußtseinsvermögen). In this direction, the phenomenology of consciousness capability was on a par with the studies of functional psychology and the theories of unconsciousness, but had its distinctive characteristics and prominent fruits in terms of method and content.