Aesthetic Genesis

This book presents a radical rethinking of consciousness and its relationship with intentionality, offering new insights into human cognition and experience.

In Aesthetic Genesis, the author presents a thought-provoking argument that challenges a core principle of phenomenology: the idea that all consciousness is inherently intentional, meaning it is always directed towards an object. Mitscherling introduces a transformative perspective, likening it to a new 'Copernican hypothesis,' suggesting instead that it is the intentionality itself—its directionality—that gives rise to consciousness. This shift in understanding opens up new avenues for exploring the nature of human cognition.

The book delves into the origins of human cognition, tracing it back to sensation, while also investigating how sensation emerges from intentional structures that are intrinsic to nature. Through a phenomenological lens, Aesthetic Genesis examines our experiences and ultimately concludes that the prevalent categorizations of being—material and ideal—are insufficient to fully encapsulate the richness of human experience. This realization prompts a reevaluation of how we understand existence and consciousness.

Mitscherling revitalizes ancient concepts such as 'intentional being' and 'formal causality,' integrating them into a thorough phenomenological analysis. This analysis encompasses various aspects of human life, including embodiment, aesthetic experiences, text interpretation, moral behavior, and cognition. By bridging contemporary thought with pre-modern insights, Aesthetic Genesis offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the complexities of human experience and consciousness.