Phenomenology in the Western Tradition of Philosophy
“When we listen to a purely third-person, objective account of mental states, whether it is a cognitive psychological theory, a neurobiological account, or an evolutionary theory, we feel that a crucial dimension of the subject has been left out. I am referring to the phenomenological aspect of mental phenomena, namely the subjective experience of the individual.”
– H.H. the Dalai Lama, The Universe in a Single Atom, p. 133; see also pp. 134-35, 160.
Message from the professor:
Phenomenology, founded by Edmund Husserl, is the non-reductionistic first-person philosophical study of the nature and structures of consciousness. There are many interesting points of contact between phenomenology and ideas in Buddhist philosophy, as can be seen in the growing literature in this area in comparative philosophy. In this talk I will outline at an introductory level a number of themes in phenomenology that are most relevant to students of Buddhism.
Richard Tieszen, PhD is professor of philosophy at San José State University. He specializes in phenomenology, philosophy of mind, and logic, and is active in the SJSU Center for Comparative Philosophy.
Suggested resources for this talk:
1. The Universe in a Single Atom, H.H. the Dalai Lama, especially Chps. 6, 7 and 8.
2. “Mind and Life XIV” on YouTube, especially the talk by Evan Thompson.
These are a little heavier going but excellent:
3. Perceiving Reality: Consciousness, Intentionality and Cognition in Buddhist Philosophy, Christian Coresu.
4. Mind in Life: Biology, Phenomenology, and the Sciences of Mind, Evan Thompson.
About the Visiting Scholar Series
We are taking advantage of the school break during the summer to have some experts from nearby universities speak on their various areas of expertise.
- August 13: Professor Richard Tieszen, San Jose State University, Dept. of Philosophy
- August 20: Professor Nirvikar Singh, University of California at Santa Cruz, South Asia Studies,
Sikh and Punjabi Studies, Economics Department - August 27: Professor David Gray, University of Santa Clara, Religious Studies Dept., (Asian Religions)
All three of these scholars have personal connections with Land of Medicine Buddha and with our organization. That is why they, in particular, have been asked to give these talks. They each have a different area of expertise. Come learn some new things.
| Date(s): | Thursday, August 13 |
| Times: | 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm |
| Instructor/Leader: | Richard Tieszen PhD |
| Type of event: | special event |
| Number of sessions: | 1 |
| Level: | general |
| Participation: | open to all |
| Location: | Main Gompa |
| iCal Link: | iCal |
| Add to Google Calendar: |  |
Registration and Donations for Visiting Scholar Series: Richard Tieszen on Phenomenology
Online registration is now closed for this event.