THE PHENOMENOLOGISTS DEBATE ON INTENTIONALITY OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Phenomenology is known as the science of pure consciousness. Being so, it offers a subjective analysis of things and events. However, the significance of phenomenology is found in connecting the subjective and the objective poles in a meaningful way. Contrary to the abstract metaphysical speculations phenomenology is understood as a new way of doing philosophy regarding the concrete living experiences of man. Intentionality of consciousness remains most significant in establishing this connection between the subject and the lived world leading to the concrete living experiences. Intentionality is interpreted in different ways by the Phenomenologists like Husserl, Heidegger and Sartre. While for Husserl intentionality is a salient structure of consciousness, Heidegger presents it as belonging to the Dasein. Again, for Sartre intentionality is identical with consciousness. These interpretations influence the entire debate on subjectivity and intersubjectivity in the poheomenological trend. In this backdrop the paper analyses the treatment of intentionality in terms of consciousness and argues that Sartre‟s treatment of the issue gives a newer and broader orientation to his intersubjective debate. Mapping the analysis of the concept of intentionality in the phenomenological tradition it further attempts to critically figure out Jean Paul Sartre‟s position in this framework.