Philosophical method/discipline, typically associated with 20th century Psychology (Husserl) and Existential Philosophy (Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty).
One of the aims of Phenomenology is to attempt to describe
something (an object, an experience) directly, seperately from its preconceived origins or causal explanations.
Most of our experiences are clouded by preconceptions. By identifying these preconceptions, it was thought that Phenomenology could
help us distinguish between what is
real and what is appearance.
When we
think of 'Time' , we think of clocks, deadlines...etc. However, a
child who has not yet formed these preconceptions thinks of 'Time' as an eternal 'now'. The
child's perception is phenomenological, it is unclouded by preconceptions.