Hedwig Conrad-Martius

Real Ontology, which originally appeared in Husserl’s Jahrbuch für Philosophie series, is one of the first comprehensive phenomenological accounts of reality. It is a key text in the ontological stream of phenomenology, inspired by Pfänder and Reinach, and represented by the members of the Göttingen School who were Husserl’s first phenomenological students. Conrad-Martius played a central role in this circle. Real Ontology sets forth most fully the phenomenological arguments for exploring the reality of the external world in a way that escapes the philosophical traps of modernity through the use of the phenomenological method. The first chapter investigates reality, the second materiality, the third the formation of elements with divisions focusing on material constitution, auditory phenomena, temperature, and light. Conrad-Martius was widely read in the natural sciences and applies her deep knowledge of contemporary discussions in these disciplines to her investigation into the nature of things that underlies the manifestation of particular phenomena. This is a crucial text not only for understanding the development of early phenomenology, but for seeing how reality can be grounded and investigated with phenomenologicacal tools.

Real Ontology, which originally appeared in Husserl’s Jahrbuch für Philosophie series, is one of the first comprehensive phenomenological accounts of reality. It is a key text in the ontological stream of phenomenology, inspired by Pfänder and Reinach, and represented by the members of the Göttingen School who were Husserl’s first phenomenological students. Conrad-Martius played a central role in this circle. Real Ontology sets forth most fully the phenomenological arguments for exploring the reality of the external world in a way that escapes the philosophical traps of modernity through the use of the phenomenological method. The first chapter investigates reality, the second materiality, the third the formation of elements with divisions focusing on material constitution, auditory phenomena, temperature, and light. Conrad-Martius was widely read in the natural sciences and applies her deep knowledge of contemporary discussions in these disciplines to her investigation into the nature of things that underlies the manifestation of particular phenomena. This is a crucial text not only for understanding the development of early phenomenology, but for seeing how reality can be grounded and investigated with phenomenologicacal tools.

This is the first translation into English of early phenomenologist Hedwig Conrad-Martius’ Metaphysical Conversations, originally published in 1921. Conrad-Martius was one of Husserl’s first students, an important part of the Göttingen Phenomenology Circle and mentor to Edith Stein, Jean Héring, and other early phenomenologists. The present volume provides the full German and English texts of the conversations, a phenomenological discussion of the nature of the human, examining the nature of body, soul, and spirit, and drawing distinctions between plants, animals, humans, and various other beings. The volume also includes two important essays on phenomenology, in which Conrad-Martius distinguishes between the phenomenological approaches of Husserl, Heidegger, and the more ontological approach of the Göttingen school of phenomenology. She is critical of Husserl’s "transcendental" and Heidegger’s "existential" approach. The conversations illustrate her use of the phenomenological method for fundamental investigations into the nature (or Wesen) of things. Also available as paperback: https://www.degruyter.com/document/isbn/9783110764390/html

This is the first translation into English of early phenomenologist Hedwig Conrad-Martius’ Metaphysical Conversations, originally published in 1921. Conrad-Martius was one of Husserl’s first students, an important part of the Göttingen Phenomenology Circle and mentor to Edith Stein, Jean Héring, and other early phenomenologists. The present volume provides the full German and English texts of the conversations, a phenomenological discussion of the nature of the human, examining the nature of body, soul, and spirit, and drawing distinctions between plants, animals, humans, and various other beings. The volume also includes two important essays on phenomenology, in which Conrad-Martius distinguishes between the phenomenological approaches of Husserl, Heidegger, and the more ontological approach of the Göttingen school of phenomenology. She is critical of Husserl’s "transcendental" and Heidegger’s "existential" approach. The conversations illustrate her use of the phenomenological method for fundamental investigations into the nature (or Wesen) of things.