When the phenomenological historian Herbert Spiegelberg sets out “to give a minimum operational grasp of what it means to do phenomenology” (p. 14), he starts from the commonly accepted Husserlian phrase “To the Things” (Zu den Sachen) which indicates that doing phenomenology is doing a direct investigation into the phenomena or the things that can be described in terms of everyday, common, and uncommon experiences. Phenomenology wants to see the things in a new way, namely as phenomena, as they appear to us in all their richness and meaningful phenomenality (p. 15). This starting point implies “turning away from preoccupation with concepts, symbols, theories, and hypotheses” in favor of “a turn toward their concrete referents in experience, i.e., to the uncensored phenomena” (p. 58).
Spiegelberg suggests that it is helpful to distinguish between doing phenomenology and doing meta-phenomenology which is one or more steps removed from the actual practice of doing phenomenology directly on the things. The resolve of doing phenomenology directly on the phenomena by “going back to the things that matter” is consistent with the basic or original project of phenomenology starting from concrete phenomena. The ultimate source for all phenomenological research is the “things themselves” or the originary phenomenality of the phenomena. Therefore, Spiegelberg says (perhaps somewhat mockingly) in his discussion about doing phenomenology, “I wanted to lead from meta-meta-phenomenology via meta-phenomenology to actual phenomenologizing” (1975, p. 23). In his book Doing Phenomenology he gives examples of phenomenologizing on down-to-earth topics, such as his study of the phenomenon of “approval” (pp. 190–214).
Selected Readings:
Spiegelberg, H. (1959/1982). The Phenomenological Movement: A Historical Introduction. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.
Spiegelberg, H. (1972). Phenomenology in Psychology and Psychiatry. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press.
Spiegelberg, H. (1975). Doing Phenomenology: Essays on and in Phenomenology. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.