The Phenomenology of Pain

The Phenomenology of Pain is a groundbreaking book that argues that science alone cannot clarify the nature of pain experience without incorporating a phenomenological approach. It develops a novel conception of pain grounded in phenomenological principles, clarifying the fundamental structures of pain experience and contesting the common conflation of phenomenology with introspectionism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 30 August 2022
Publisher: Ohio University Press

The Phenomenology of Pain is a groundbreaking work that delves into the intricate nature of pain, marking the first comprehensive exploration of its subject in English. This seminal text establishes a profound dialogue between phenomenology and disciplines such as cognitive science and cultural anthropology, arguing that a phenomenological approach is essential to fully understand the essence of pain experience. Building upon this foundation, Saulius Geniusas presents a novel conception of pain that is rooted in phenomenological principles. He defines pain as an aversive bodily sensation with a distinct experiential quality, which can only be truly conveyed through firsthand experience, either as a feeling-sensation or as an emotion. Geniusas elucidates the fundamental methodological principles that guide phenomenological research, offering a phenomenological clarification of the core structures of pain experience. He challenges the common conflation of phenomenology with introspectionism and delves into various pain dissociation syndromes, highlighting the de-personalizing and re-personalizing aspects of chronic pain. Through his analysis, Geniusas demonstrates the role of somatization and psychologization in pain experience, advancing Husserlian phenomenology in a direction that goes beyond the explicit formulations of Husserl himself.

Weight: 434g
Dimension: 273 x 257 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780821424032