ABSTRACT
The purpose of phenomenology is usually asserted to be the exploration of human consciousness and lived experience. These objects of inquiry are often assumed to be self-evident and unproblematic, but this is too simplistic a viewpoint. All qualitative research is concerned with understanding human experience, but most researchers do not seriously consider the nature of experience. All experience arises within consciousness, but this foundational concept is also assumed as given. This chapter sets out to explore two key questions: ‘What is consciousness?’, and ‘What are the characteristics of experience?’ These two concepts will be examined and related to the research process and phenomenology in particular. The chapter is structured into five inter-related sections: 1. Explaining consciousness. This has been the ‘hard problem’ for philosophers, psychologists and neuroscientists, and both materialist and idealist theories will be discussed. Intentionality as consciousness of internal concepts and external objects; 2. What is experience? Thoughts, feelings and sensations arise as experience, and the mind interprets and finds meaning. The creation of time and space through thought and perception; 3. Attention and awareness. Awareness as the primary sense of being. Attention can be turned outwards towards objects and inwards towards thoughts and feelings. However, all these appear within consciousness, as attention is simply focussed awareness; 4. Applications to the research process – ontological, epistemological and dualist positions. The scope of phenomenology and the nature of reality; And 5. Conclusions – implications for phenomenologists and qualitative research generally.
