scholarly journals Experimental Phenomenology as an Approach to the Study of Contemplative Practices

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars-Gunnar Lundh

During history humans have developed a large variety of contemplative practices, in many different areas of life, and as part of many different traditions and contexts. Although some contemplative practices are very old, the research field of Contemplation Studies is young, and there are no agreed-upon definitions of central concepts such as contemplative practices and contemplative experiences. The present paper focuses on contemplative practices, defined as practices that are engaged in for the sake of the contemplative experiences they afford (e.g., the contemplation of nature, or the contemplation of various aspects of being-in-the world). The purpose of the present paper is to discuss the potential of experimental phenomenology to contribute to the development of the research field of Contemplation Studies. Experimental phenomenology is defined as the investigation of phenomenological practices and their effects on experience. Phenomenological practices involve intentional variations of experiencing by means of changes in the direction of attention and the choice of attitude, typically as guided by verbal instructions or self-instructions. It is suggested that contemplative practices represent a subcategory of phenomenological practices. Two different varieties of experimental phenomenology are described and illustrated in the present paper: (1) an informal variety which involves the development of new phenomenological practices by creative variation of procedures and observation of effects; and (2) a more rigorously scientific variety, which involves the systematic variation of phenomenological practices in accordance with experimental designs to study their experiential effects. It is suggested that the development of contemplative practices during the ages is the result of an informal experimenting of the first kind; this variety of experimental phenomenology can also be used to develop personalized health interventions in a clinical setting. As to the more rigorously scientific experimental phenomenology, it is possible that it may lead not only to an improved understanding of general principles underlying contemplative practices, but also to a more systematic development of new contemplative practices. The experimental-phenomenological approach to contemplative practices is illustrated by various examples involving mindfulness, gratitude, receiving and giving.

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-78
Author(s):  
Petr Kouba

This article examines the limits of Heidegger’s ontological description of emotionality from the period of Sein und Zeit and Die Grundbegriffe der Metaphysik along the lines outlined by Lévinas in his early work De l’existence à l’existant. On the basis of the Lévinassian concept of “il y a”, we attempt to map the sphere of the impersonal existence situated out of the structured context of the world. However the worldless facticity without individuality marks the limits of the phenomenological approach to human existence and its emotionality, it also opens a new view on the beginning and ending of the individual existence. The whole structure of the individual existence in its contingency and finitude appears here in a new light, which applies also to the temporal conditions of existence. Yet, this is not to say that Heidegger should be simply replaced by Lévinas. As shows an examination of the work of art, to which brings us our reading of Moravia’s literary exposition of boredom (the phenomenon closely examined in Die Grundbegriffe der Metaphysik), the view on the work of art that is entirely based on the anonymous and worldless facticity of il y a must be extended and complemented by the moment in which a new world and a new individual structure of experience are being born. To comprehend the dynamism of the work of art in its fullness, it is necessary to see it not only as an ending of the world and the correlative intentional structure of the individual existence, but also as their new beginning.


Author(s):  
Karl-H. Grote ◽  
Christiane Beyer

Abstract In socialistic countries, customer satisfaction and the market conditions were not of high priority: Some selected parts of the market products were of satisfactory costs and quality to customers. Quality and costs of a product decide on its success in the world-wide market. The wishes and expectations of the customer for a high-quality and low-priced product continue to grow, however, with the desire for faster availability of this product. The customer determines also the delivery time and other competitive factors as the durability of the product. At present the trend goes towards shorter product life cycles, which in turn requires reduced time spent on the product development. With these complex market requirements and growing diversity of the products the engineer faces new challenges in his development tasks. It can be paraphrased as follows: In reduced lifecycles a quality-assured and advantageous product has to be developed despite increasing complexity of the design and demands for reduction of material used, manpower and monetary spending. For the solution of this complex problem the following suggestions are tested and implemented: • Structured design process for the development process, • Simultaneous work where ever possible during the development stages, • Employment of modern resources for the product development, • Use of information technology and • Implementation of rapid prototyping for models and in secondary manufacturing processes. An important research field at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Design at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg is research and further development of productive procedures and tools for the realization of a computer integrated product development process. This process includes the effective application of technologies to produce the prototypes for presentation, producibility analysis and production. Of particular interest is the closed process chain (loop) from Solid Modeling via Rapid Prototyping and 3D-Digitizing where the entry point of this process chain depends on the needs of the application or particular interest of the innovating company. Information for faster and more competitive preparation, verification and Re-Engineering of existing and established products, which have to be adjusted to the world-market needs, will be made available. The results of this applied research offer opportunities to display new developed products for the lagging industries in the former East Germany, and furthermore arranging for necessary venture capital to produce the product, to gain information about possible suppliers and manufacturing opportunities in order to minimize the investors’ risks of an enterprise.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Qiu

<p>This is a short article, focusing on promoting more study on SEIR modeling by leveraging rich data and machine learning. We believe that this is extremely critical as many regions at the country or state/provincial levels have been struggling with their public health intervention policies on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Some recent published papers on mitigation measures show promising SEIR modeling results, which could shred the light for other policymakers at different community levels. We present our perspective on this research direction. Hopefully, we can stimulate more studies and help the world win this “war” against the invisible enemy “coronavirus” sooner rather than later. </p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 360-379
Author(s):  
Hilde Dahl

Abstract:Homicides are rare in Norway; the country’s homicide rate is among the lowest in the world (UNODC, 2013). This might be why homicides always receive attention in the national news. The topic has also received attention on a governmental level. Reducing the number of homicides is an expressed goal in several official reports. However, preventive efforts require knowledge. While a handful of studies have been conducted using a variety of disciplinary approaches and methods, several recent reports point out that homicide is not a prioritized research field in Norway (NOU 2010:3; FHI rapport, 2012; JBD, 2018). This is the first article from the project »Homicides in Norway, 1955-1982, a historical-criminological study«. Studies using historical methods on homicide in the contemporary era have not previously been conducted in Norway. The projects aim is to provide historical insight into the rates and patterns of Norwegian homicide during the period 1955 to 1982, based on material originally collected by psychologist Ragnar Christensen (1922-2011) over the course of three decades.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 880
Author(s):  
Fery AM Mendrofa ◽  
Umi Hani ◽  
Yuni Nurhidayat

A pandemic of a novel coronavirus-infected disease is currently ongoing in the world. Most patients have to be isolated due to the treatments. This study aimed to make sense of how patients with coronavirus-infected disease understand and experience infectious isolation. The research used a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach. Data collection was conducted with in-depth interviews of nine patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) confirmed who had been in the isolation room. The analysis was conducted on interview transcripts by organizing keywords found into categories, sub-themes, and themes based on Colaizzi's approach. The results indicated that the participants experienced fright due to the isolation and attempted to integrate their isolation experiences. Isolation highlighted a sense of threat posed by cross-infection, a threat that participants experienced as originating from others and from themselves to others. Participants described feeling changes experienced after several days of treatment. Participants reported various symptoms of the disease and received careful care while in isolation. They still communicate with family. Isolated patients are able to deal with the treatment by improving their coping strategies. Participants reported the most support from their families, even from a distance. Future research could explore experiences of isolation from family and staff perspectives and identify the psychological aspect in caring for the COVID-19 patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (513) ◽  
pp. 450-459
Author(s):  
N. I. Yurchenko ◽  

Currently, the tourism industry continues to outpace the global economy despite deteriorating global economic prospects, tensions in international trade, social worries, geopolitical uncertainty, instability and the COVID-19 pandemic. The article is aimed at identifying modern trends of marketing research as part of the complex of marketing instruments in the tourism sphere. To achieve this aim, the article uses the following research methods: abstract-logical; situational analysis; mean, absolute and relative values; comparison, graphic, sociological; statistical analysis; economic-mathematical; expert surveys and estimations. Based on the data of the World Tourism Organization, the indicators of development of the world market of tourist services are analyzed. Performed were the following: analysis of the dynamics of the number of subjects of tourism activity (tour operators and travel agents) in Ukraine; total average number of full-time employees; income from the provision of tourist services; operating expenses for the provision of tourist services; number of tourists served by tour operators and travel agents in Ukraine. The content of marketing research is disclosed as a multi-stage process, which should include the collection, registration and analysis of data in the sphere of tourism business. Marketing researches should be conducted according to 8 stages: determining the problem; development of the concept of research; cabinet marketing research; field market research; analysis of market conditions (supply and demand); research of foreign markets; simulation modeling; formation of a marketing information system. In order to determine the rating of tour operators of the mass segment of the tourism market in 2020, a questionnaire containing 16 questions is specified. Its results can be used when evaluating tour operators in terms of customer comfort and cooperation with travel agents. It is proved that marketing research in the tourism industry is advisable to be carried out systematically. This will provide for substantiating and elaborating managerial solutions in order to maximize the satisfaction of the needs of consumers of tourist services and solve the problems of significant seasonal fluctuations in demand.


Author(s):  
Ivo Jirásek ◽  
Josef Oborný ◽  
Emanuel Hurych

Summary The philosophical concept of hermeneutics presents the opposite pole of human mental activities than positivism. Phenomenology, together with hermeneutics, also presents a kind of opposition to the positivistic reduction of learning the world. This paper focuses on the topic of authenticity of sport from these two (hermeneutic and phenomenological) approaches. As a basic theoretical platform Martin Heidegger’s book Time and Being is used. The authors develop a specific kind of categorization of the social groups engaged in sport events via the ancient concepts of “TECHNÉ ATHLETIKÉ” and “TECHNÉ GYMNASTIKÉ”. Two different phenomena: sport and “sport” are examined within the next part of the paper. There are some reasons mentioned in conclusions coming from the hermeneutic and phenomenological approach which help us to understand and accept the opinion that a kind of return to “techné gymnastiké” can support the authentic modes of being in human approach to sport.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Wilson-Mendenhall ◽  
John Dunne ◽  
Richard J Davidson

Contemplative interventions designed to cultivate compassion are receiving increasing empirical attention. Accumulating evidence suggests that these interventions bolster prosocial motivation and warmth towards others. Less is known about how these practices impact compassion in everyday life. Here we consider one mechanistic pathway through which compassion practices may impact perception and action in the world: simulation. Evidence suggests that vividly imagining a situation simulates that experience in the brain as if it were, to a degree, actually happening. Thus, we hypothesize that simulation during imagery-based contemplative practices can construct sensorimotor patterns in the brain that prime an individual to act compassionately in the world. We first present evidence across multiple literatures in Psychology that motivates this hypothesis, including the neuroscience of mental imagery and the emerging literature on prosocial episodic simulation. Then, we examine the specific contemplative practices in compassion-based interventions that may construct such simulations. We conclude with future directions for investigating how compassion-based interventions may shape prosocial perception and action in everyday life.


2009 ◽  
pp. 191-214
Author(s):  
Mauro Fornaro

- After having stated that the notion of validation is wider than the notion of empirical verification, the Author stresses that psychotherapy research, though epistemologically necessary, in principle and for factual reasons cannot work as a substitute of all the particularities of clinical experience. This detailed critical analysis is not aimed at condemning empirical research, but at sharpening research methods and techniques, especially considering the dimensions of subjectivity, in order to integrate research with clinical experience. Nevertheless, the programmatic choice of empirical research to use - for reasons of "scientific objectivity" - a point of view which is external to the therapeutic relationship proposes again the gap between an empirical-objective approach (the world how it is) and a phenomenologicalsubjective approach (the world how I feel it and experience it).KEY WORDS: psychotherapy research, epistemology, integration, phenomenological approach, clinical experience


2021 ◽  
pp. 96-114
Author(s):  
Judi Mesman ◽  
Rosanneke A. G. Emmen

This chapter focuses on cultural influences on parenting, examining patterns across countries, but also within countries in different ethnic groups. Whereas forms vary, two broad functions of parenting practices can be consistently identified across cultural contexts: establishing a relational bond providing safety and security in infancy (commonly referred to as attachment), and transmitting culturally appropriate behavior, knowledge, and skills throughout the childhood years. The chapter then looks at the role of culture in ethnic minority parenting, which has unique features that are different from those in ethnic majority groups. It concludes by reflecting on the state of the research field of culture and parenting, and directions for the future. Given the high cultural diversity in many urban regions in the world where professionals deal with families from all over the world, and the frequent “export” of parenting interventions from the West to other parts of the world, the field would benefit enormously from investing in mixed-methods studies examining these processes in situations where cultures meet, and where it is not immediately clear which cultural norms should prevail.


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