The following is a reflection on our class today (Jan. 31). When discussing the phenomenological approach, it is necessary to discard our human desire for explanation and definition and to pick up our childlike yearning to discover. Even as we have been embarking on this journey to discover what Beauty is, we have found ourselves struggling to grasp what art is, what dance is, what drama is, etc. Our trained mind desires to define and move on, yet I've found the phenomenological approach to be so freeing in that we can discover more about an object or concept by attempting to encounter it rather than defining it, putting it on the shelf and relinquishing any further thoughts we may have towards it.
It seems that in academia we long to define and categorize, which in itself is a beautiful thing, but the phenomenological approach opens us up to the availability of a deeper understanding of objects, concepts, etc. I would like to posit that this is because of our flexible definition of what a particular object or concept is. Instead of rigidly thinking of an object or concept as something that has to fit in my narrow definition, my whole being is opened up to the deeper meaning of this object or concept. Thus, we come into a richer understanding of what we are searching for.
I do not think this negates the idea of absolute truth, yet it allows us to go deeper in the revelation of what that truth is, instead of narrowing our definition to mere intellectual thought. The phenomenological approach encourages experiential learning and allows us to reawaken the childlike yearning to discover what the world holds for us. As we embrace this approach, perhaps we will learn more than we ever would have if we simply defined things and moved on.
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