Beyond the Clash between World-Views: Revisiting Husserl’s Concept of the Life-World

Rosemary R. P. Lerner

Departamento de Humanidades, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Perú.

DOI: 10.4236/aa.2013.33023                 

Abstract

Husserl shares the European view whereby (physical and psychic) nature is the common denominator upon which the diversity of cultures are built, a vision that motivates the quest for the conditions of possibility of encounters beyond cultural differences, truth beyond multiple perspectives, and moral reconciliation beyond antagonisms. The American-Indian worldview seems to challenge that view, for it rather proposes a multinaturalism built upon a type of human and spiritual community common to every cosmic being. Husserl’s notion of the “life-world” is revisited, whereby what appears at first sight as “in-compossible” world-views shows indeed traits of an amazing proximity.

Keywords

Nature; Culture; Multinaturalism; Multiculturalism; Western Versus Indigenous Worldviews; Euro-Centrism; Life-World; Husserl; Phenomenology

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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