Zack Olander - Myths and Phenomenology

 Phenomenology is a philosophy that is centered on the idea of subjective experience being the thing that reveals to us things in themselves, and the getting rid of human-made labels on objects that we perceive. In this post, I would like to draw a parallel between myth and phenomenology and how they have a similar function. 

Myths, like this above-mentioned philosophy, are not concerned with giving an objective account of the world. They are concerned with telling a story and creating a coherent life world that brings meaning and order to a chaotic and senseless world. The story of Genesis, for example, doesn't make much objective sense (how could there be days in creation before God creates the sun?) but it still has meaning for the culture that it comes from. In the same way, someone perceiving flowers as something that brings beauty to the world is not something that is objective, yet that doesn't necessarily matter because it still has meaning for that person.

Phenomenology and mythology seem at home with each other, and it's no surprise to me that there are many interpretations of myth that use a phenomenological outlook.

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