{"title":"On the Benefit of a Phenomenological Revision of Problem Solving","authors":"A. Wendt","doi":"10.1163/15691624-12341330","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Problem solving has been empirical psychology’s concern for half a century. Cognitive science’s work on this field has been stimulated especially by the computational theory of mind. As a result, most experimental research originates from a mechanistic approach that disregards genuine experience. On the occasion of a review of problem solving’s foundation, a phenomenological description offers fruitful perspectives. Yet, the mechanistic paradigm is currently dominant throughout problem solving’s established patterns of description. The review starts with a critical historical analysis of the state of problem solving in academic psychology. Subsequently, a phenomenological, contrastive approach is proposed. It questions the notion of problems as “goal-driven” behavior by making vivid experience the subject of discussion. As its given compounds, solvability, oppressiveness, and the problem’s horizon are discussed. Ultimately, an experience-based multimodal notion of the problem is elaborated that relates problems to challenges, fatalities and opportunities as different types of situations.","PeriodicalId":35562,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Phenomenological Psychology","volume":"48 1","pages":"240-258"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2017-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15691624-12341330","citationCount":"3","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Phenomenological Psychology","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15691624-12341330","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Psychology","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 3
Abstract
Problem solving has been empirical psychology’s concern for half a century. Cognitive science’s work on this field has been stimulated especially by the computational theory of mind. As a result, most experimental research originates from a mechanistic approach that disregards genuine experience. On the occasion of a review of problem solving’s foundation, a phenomenological description offers fruitful perspectives. Yet, the mechanistic paradigm is currently dominant throughout problem solving’s established patterns of description. The review starts with a critical historical analysis of the state of problem solving in academic psychology. Subsequently, a phenomenological, contrastive approach is proposed. It questions the notion of problems as “goal-driven” behavior by making vivid experience the subject of discussion. As its given compounds, solvability, oppressiveness, and the problem’s horizon are discussed. Ultimately, an experience-based multimodal notion of the problem is elaborated that relates problems to challenges, fatalities and opportunities as different types of situations.
期刊介绍:
The peer-reviewed Journal of Phenomenological Psychology publishes articles that advance the discipline of psychology from the perspective of the Continental phenomenology movement. Within that tradition, phenomenology is understood in the broadest possible sense including its transcendental, existential, hermeneutic, and narrative strands and is not meant to convey the thought of any one individual. Articles advance the discipline of psychology by applying phenomenology to enhance the field’s philosophical foundations, critical reflection, theoretical development, research methodologies, empirical research, and applications in such areas as clinical, educational, and organizational psychology.