Epoché
In Hellenistic philosophy, epoché (also
epoche;
pronounced or
;
Greek: ἐποχή, romanized: epokhē, lit. ‘cessation’)
is suspension of judgment but also “withholding of assent”.
“Epoché,” pronounced /ˈɛpəki/ or /ˈɛpɒki/, is a Greek word meaning "suspension of judgment" or "withholding of assent". In philosophy, it refers to a method of suspending one’s natural assumptions and biases to gain a clearer understanding of phenomena. It’s a key concept in ancient Skepticism and, more prominently, in Edmund Husserl’s Phenomenology.
In ancient Skepticism, the epoché was a tool to achieve ataraxia, or freedom from mental disturbance, by suspending judgment on controversial or unresolvable issues. By not taking a position, the Skeptics aimed to avoid the anxiety and conflict that come with belief.
In phenomenology, Edmund Husserl adopted the epoché as a method for investigating consciousness and experience. It involves “bracketing” or putting aside our everyday beliefs about the external world and its objective reality. This allows one to focus on the pure, immediate experience of phenomena as they appear to consciousness, without the influence of pre-conceived notions or assumptions.
The process of epoché in phenomenology involves:
- Acknowledging the “natural attitude”: Recognizing the tendency to accept the world as objectively real.
- Bracketing or suspending: Intentionally setting aside these natural assumptions.
- Observing the pure phenomenon: Examining experience as it is given to consciousness, free from interpretation.
- Reflective analysis: Investigating the essential structures and meanings of the phenomenon.
By engaging in epoché, phenomenologists aim to uncover the fundamental structures of consciousness and experience, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of both the self and the world.