International Journal of Theology, Philosophy and Science
No. 6, Year 4/2020
https://ijtps.com/ ISSN 2601-1697, ISSN-L 2601-1689
IJTPS
STUDIES AND ARTICLES © 2020 IFIASA Page | 68
https://doi.org/10.26520/ijtps.2020.4.6.68-81
THE RADICALIZATION PROGRAM OF
PHENOMENOLOGY OF JEAN-LUC MARION
PhD. Piotr KARPIŃSKI,
Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Warsaw
Higher Seminary in Łowicz,
POLAND,
Email: piotrkar@o2.pl
ABSTRACT
The article discusses the project of radicalization of phenomenology in Jean-Luc
Marion. The very idea of radicalization has been associated with phenomenology
since its origin and means a return to the main idea to study the appearance of
phenomena, rethink it and draw the maximum consequences from it. Marion argues
with Husserl and Heidegger, who, in his opinion, stopped halfway in the
phenomenological path: the first reducing all phenomena to objects, the second
reducing everything to being. Meanwhile, Marion is about freeing the phenomenon
so that it appears on its own and as it is. In this purpose, he adopts the fundamental
principle of phenomenology as “so much reduction, so much givenness”, which
shows that he bases his project on two concepts: reduction and givenness. The next
step is to develop the issue of givenness and describe phenomena in its light.
Marion's precious discovery is the saturated phenomena, which are characterized by
an excess of visibility relative to the concept. Marion's project is completed with an
analysis of the gift and the subject. It should be noted that, despite polemics, Marion's
phenomenology is an interesting and successful attempt to radicalize
phenomenology. Its valuable contribution is reflection on the fundamental principles
of phenomenology, which gains value especially in the time of various “applied
phenomenologies”.
Keywords: gift; givenness; Marion; phenomenology; reduction; saturated
phenomenon; subject;
INTRODUCTION
The phenomenological method was formulated in the early work of Edmund Husserl
Logische Untersuchungen (Logical investigations)
1
. Although it was clearly polemical with
psychologism and cognitive naturalism, its novum lies in the discovery of the difference
between what appears and the appearance itself. Phenomenology is not to deal with the
subject sphere, but to appearing itself
2
. However, as demonstrated by Jan Patočka, developed
by Husserl in later works, from Ideas
3
to The Crisis
4
, transcendental phenomenology is only
one possible implementation of the phenomenological method
5
. It involves a reduction to
1
Edmund Husserl, Logische Untersuchungen, Bd. 1-2, Max Niemeyer Verlag, Halle, 1913.
2
Philippe Huneman, Estelle Kulich, Introduction à la phénoménologie, Armand Colin, Paris, 1997, p. 18.
3
Edmund Husserl, Ideen ze einer reinen phänomenologie und phänomenologischen Philosophie , Max
Niemeyer Verlag, Halle, 1913.
4
Edmund Husserl, Die Kreisis der europäischen Wissenschaften und die transzendentale Phänomenologie , in:
“Philosophia”, Bd. 1, Belgrad, 1936.
5
Jan Patočka, Der Subjektivismus der Husserlschen und die Möglichkeit einer “asubjektiven” Phänomenologie ,
in: “Philosophische Perspektiven”, 2 (1970), p. 317-334.