Page 57 - Contribution To Phenomenology

50 RICHARD M ZANER

VI. Phenomenological Approach in Clinical Encounters

A Epoche and Reduction
As is well known, Husserl sought to gain access to and clarify the
"genuine concept" of science. For this, he proposed to "put out of action
all the convictions we have been accepting up to now, including all our
sciences," so as to "immerse oneself in the scientific striving and doing"
specific to the pursuit of science ([11], p. 7). Although the idea of
genuine science at first only "floats before us as a vague generality,"
taking it as a clue (Leitfaden) for reflective consideration makes its inner
"intention" or claim progressively clearer ([11], p. 9). The intention is
taken as a "precursory presumption" that can guide reflection: what is it
that one claims or aims to be doing when one strives to be "scientific"?
Crucial to the entire undertaking is adopting a rigorous reflective
"attitude" or "orientation" (Einstellung) in order "to immerse oneself in"
(sich einleben in) and thereby become reflectively cognizant of the
practice specific to science—to its inherent claim or intention. This
methodical shifting to a reflective orientation Husserl termed the
*'epoche;'' rigorously maintaining it throughout the course of inquiry is the
''reduction'' [38]. To shift one's attention phenomenologically is also to
consider clinical encounters as examples and no longer to be preoccupied
with them for their own particular sakes. As regards medicine, the
specific complexity of the chnical phenomenon must be rigorously
appreciated: not only the people involved, their respective experiences
and interpretations, etc., but more especially the specific kind of practice
exhibited by medicine.

B. Reflection as Circumstantial Understanding
Every field of practice includes the possibility of this reflective-
attentive shift. Maclntyre's understanding of "practice" is apropos:

By a ^practice' I . . . mean any coherent and complex form of socially
established cooperative human activity through which goods internal to
that form of activity are realized in the course of trying to achieve those
standards of excellence which are appropriate to, and partially definitive
of, that form of activity, with the result that human powers to achieve
excellence, and human conceptions of the ends and goods involved, are
systematically extended ([19], p. 175).