Although for many people Aristotle represents a precursor to modern science because of his love of nature and experiments. In celebrating this early manifestation of their own beliefs, many scientists loose sight of an important part of Aristotle’s thinking – namely that one should listen to one’s own personal experience in making judgements about the world (see the Nicamedian Ethics for this point).
Aristotle argues with disarming simplicity that lovers of knowledge have no reason to ignore the sense they experience when they perceive something – such as the experience of an objecting being good or bad. The philosopher goes on to argue that it is simply irrational not to include this experience from our senses.
From a modern perspective, we are all familiar with the notion that science is (mostly) provable with the five senses. Few among us would say “but wait, I just don’t experience things that way” and expect to be taken seriously. Is that because of a rational position, or because it is often hard to make people agree with your own personal experience? I suggest it is the latter. As Aristotle might say, if he was alive today, to not record personal experiences is irrational; it would be far more logical to state them and suggest what they mean.
Therefore I feel phenomenology, the study of private experience, needs to be expanded considerably to better understand the human condition. I would even go so far as to teach phenomenology in schools and make it part of university science courses. I wonder such a thing will come to pass in the future…
