Dan Zahavi

“Phenomenology of the we: Reciprocal empathy, self-alienation, and plural self-awareness”

27 November 2015, 18.30



One of the key questions within contemporary debates about collective intentionality concerns the notion and status of the we. The question however is by no means new. At the beginning of the last century, it was already intensively discussed within phenomenology. In my talk, I will present and evaluate some key ideas found in this heterogeneous discussion. 
One group of phenomenologists, including figures such as Stein, Walther and Husserl, insist on the importance of empathy for proper we-experiences. Husserl, for instance, argue that group-identification requires an element of self-alienation and that this might come about through a process of reciprocal empathy. 
Another group, including Heidegger and Gurwitsch (and more recently Hans Bernhard Schmid) argue that a focus on empathy is detrimental to a proper understanding of the we, and that the latter is more fundamental than any dyadic interaction. 
In my talk, I will present and assess both views and discuss whether they can be made compatible.

Venue: Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Luisenstraße 56, 10117 Berlin, Room 144 (ground floor)



All are welcome!

in cooperation with PhenCoCo

28 November 2015, 9.00–18.00

Dan Zahavi will be present and this is therefore going to be an opportunity of a very interactive face-to-face encounter with the author.

All participants are requested to put some work into this workshop. This means to read the book in advance and to prepare a short presentation (topics will be distributed after registration).

Additionally, we offer two optional preparatory meetings for this workshop which will be organized by PhenCoCo (venue and time will be announced once you register for these):

– 24 October 2015

– 21 November 2015

PROGRAM
9.30–10.00 coffee and get together

10.00–12.00 Part I. The Experiential Self
INTRO
QUESTIONS
OBJECTIONS
12.00–13.00 Lunch

13.00–15.00 Part II. Empathic Understanding
INTRO
QUESTIONS
OBJECTIONS
15.00–15.30 Coffee

15.30–17:30 Part III. The Interpersonal Self
INTRO
QUESTIONS
OBJECTIONS

17.30 Final discussion