Edith Stein attempted already in her doctorate to complement Husserl’s work on phenomenology by a painstaking analysis of empathy including its indispensable role in the constitution of the psycho-physical individual and the person. As Husserl’s assistant 1916-18 she famously edited in particular his “Ideas II”, perhaps introducing within it a view of this relationship complementary to Husserl’s. Shortly a new edition of Ideas II, containing the manuscripts Stein had at her disposal for her redaction, will appear. This makes it possible to discuss not only Stein and Husserl’s respective contributions to Ideas II but also to more clearly situate these within the diverse field of the phenomenology of the social to which they both contributed in the years 1916-25.
The conference will discuss these contributions in the light of Husserl’s and Stein’s respective philosophical itineraries during this period and beyond. Distinguishing and discussing these respective positions linked to the personal constitution of intersubjectivity quite likely would lead to a refinement of current positions as well as to greater nuance and clarity in the phenomenological treatments of social reality. Since the phenomenology of intersubjectivity and the social hitherto have relied largely on interpreting Ideas II as the work of one person, the clarification of the authorship of this work can contribute to clarify the field and create a more secure foundation for subsequent developments. The differentiation of positions might allow social phenomenology to accede to a new level where it can map the possible and factual types of personal constitution of intersubjectivity. By accomplishing this it might succeed in fulfilling its promise to clarify the fundamental concepts of social science.
Speakers at the conference will include Francis Payo, Anna Jani, Emanuele Caminada, Margarethe Hackermeier, Francesca De Vecchi, James McGuirk, Kathleen Haney, Paul O’Hagan, Valentina Gaudiano, Julia Jansen, Sara Heinämaa, Angela Ales Bello, George Heffernan, Mariéle Wulf, Antonio Calcagno and Mette Lebech.
Further information: https://historyofwomenphilosophers.org/intersubjectivity-and-person-conference/
