Critical Thomism And Phenomenology

Critical Thomism and Phenomenology A Tract Book Essay By Anthony J. Fejfar, B.A., J.D., Esq., Coif © Copyright 2007 by Anthony J. Fejfar Critical Thomism asserts that reality is best known through the trifold process of experience, understanding, judgment and reflection. One might conclude that Critical Thomism is totally incompatible with Phenomenology, but this is not the case. As Husserl, the Father of Phenomenology points out, the idea of phenomenology is to start with experience and let the experience, as much as possible, stand for itself. This is done through the use of the Epoche. The use of the Epoche “brackets” preconceptions as much as possible in order the the “body” which is under observation to manifest to the knower. It is possible for the Critical Thomist, then, to simply go to the first level, the level of experience, and then institute the Epoche, and let the thing or body, speak for itself. In using the Epoche, the knower must allow his or her mind to go into a trance state, where one regresses to the point that language and linguistic meaning, as much as possible, is bracketed, or not used. This enables the artist or the scientist to see the thing under observation in a fresh, new, way.

Seen this way, there is no real contradiction between

being a Critical Thomist, and a Phenomenologist.

In fact, Phenomenology enables the

knower to “bracket” uncritical assumptions, such as those made by naïve, logical positivists.