A Study on Existential Phenomenology, Its Purpose and Focus

Existential phenomenology is a branch of psychology that has been greatly influenced by philosophy (Luijpen 67). Based on the philosophical writings of Buber, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, It seeks to explain the human existence using philosophical tradition as its main foundation (Embree & O’brien 34). Existential phenomenology challenges the mainstream psychology that views human beings using a reductionist approach. In contrast, it sources its insights from the diversity and richness of the human existence by analysing livelihoods and writings over significant periods of time. Modern psychology tends to view the human existence using narrow technological lenses that limit the availability of in-depth explanations of various human occurrences and phenomena. On the other hand existential phenomenology analyses the wisdom accumulated by the human race from the writings by various medieval scholars to modern daily life experiences and how they influence the though process.

Existential phenomenology focuses more on the meaning of actions, words and experiences and their cumulative and reactive effects over a significant period of time. In other words, it analyses how an action by a specific group of people defined or changed history in terms of the way in which people think, act and understand situations (Embree & O’brien 84). The phenomenological aspect allows for psychologists to set aside the theoretical prejudgements that have been advocated in therapy, and instead embrace a deeper understanding into the thought process that has been influenced over time by human interaction and the knowledge that people are generally exposed to.

The phenomenology also nourishes and advocates for the ethical responsibility of human beings on the lives of others (Luijpen 107). The written and spoken words a person uses have an effect on others either directly or indirectly and consequently what people are exposed to determine how they perceive life. In this case, it advocates for an interaction between nature and nurture; intrinsic desires can be influenced by the external factors that people are exposed to especially over a significant period of time.

Works Cited

Embree, L. O’brien,