Abstract

This chapter introduces the concept of intersubjectivity through a discussion of its development in phenomenologic philosophy, infant research, neuroscience, and psychoanalysis. It argues for the necessity of a phenomenologic understanding of human behavior, especially in clinical work, as a counter to reductionistic or objectifying approaches. While incorporating diverse models, intersubjective theory sees the origins and continuity of personal consciousness in the shared social world of language and relational codes and emphasizes the entanglement of individual personality in relationships from which it cannot be separated. The work of Heidegger, Husserl, Merleau-Ponty, Ricoeur, Sartre, and the contemporary scholars Gallagher and Zahavi illustrates this perspective. Lacan’s reading of phenomenology and semiotics provided a bridge to psychoanalysis which remains relevant. The author advocates the further integration of phenomenologic concepts of intersubjectivity into psychoanalytic training and practice.