Topic relevance as the basic structuration of the field of consciousness

BELVEDERE, CARLOS

SOCIOLOGIA E RICERCA SOCIALE

Franco Angeli

Lugar: Milán; Año: 2021 p. 37 - 51

1121-1148

My aim is to depict Schutz?s theory of topic relevance as his own, distinctive phenomenology of consciousness. I will show that his conception of consciousness is elaborated from at least three kinds of elements. First I will disclose Husserl?s influence on Schutz in this matter. I will list a few Husserlian terms which Schutz takes into consideration such as noema, horizon, parts and wholes, attentional ray and passive synthesis. Second I will show that Schutz turns to Gurwitsch?s idea that consciousness is a field of experience where the previously listed elements are held together and find their relational meaning. Third I will expose how all these elements taken from Husserl and Gurwitsch are reinterpreted by Schutz as being relative to relevance as a basic phenomenon of our mind?s selective activity which puts at work different levels of our personality according to the schizophrenic ego hypothesis.