ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an overview of contemporary phenomenological discussions of normativity. It looks at an overlooked manuscript from Husserl where the philosopher analyzes normative concepts. Based on an exposition of Husserl’s analysis, the book challenges the commonly held view according to which the anticipatory structure of intentionality makes intentionality as such normative. It outlines a particular source of normativity in perception with the help of Charles Peirce’s type-token distinction. The book highlights how abstract forms function as standards for the organization of sensory data. It demonstrates that an in-depth analysis of the intentionality of the imagination provides much needed tools for critique and renewal of established positions. The book also discusses the nature and constitution of cultural norms in Husserl’s phenomenology by looking at Husserl’s genetic phenomenology, the theory of the communal person, and the concept of the lifeworld.
