of Ph.D. Thesis Phenomenological Conception of Space Eliška Luhanová The thesis focuses on the nature of experience which a perceiving self has with other beings and on the conditions which make such an encounter possible. It emphasises the role of the spatiality, which is seen as a defining characteristic of corporeal sensible beings. Broadly speaking, the work belongs to post-phenomenological philosophy. The Introduction summarises the main methodological principles of a phenomenological approach and presents post-phenomenology as a specific discourse which rejects the egocentrism typical of classical, especially Husserlian phenomenology. The exposition proper starts with an outline of a phenomenological theory of perception (Chapter I) and continues by offering an outline of the basic ontological characteristics of sensibly given entities, especially of their trans- empirical nature (Chapter II). The following chapter briefly treats some issues related to the nature of a phenomenal field, which is described as a structure of possible ways in which beings can manifest themselves (Chapter III). The subsequent chapters form the main core of the thesis. They deal with the spatial manner of being of entities which manifest themselves (Chapter IV) and of the self which experiences them (Chapter V). The...

The thesis Merleau-Ponty's Use of Painting Experience for Critique of Perception discusses the philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and his contribution to perception of corporeality and the body, and especially to use of perception in the area of arts, based on the idea that the truthfulness of the object of our perception is not identical with its real image. The aim of the thesis is to outline the issue of living encounter of subject and object of perception. Besides that, it describes the philosophies of Merleau-Ponty's precursors, namely of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, whose work served to him as a source of inspiration. The second objective of the thesis is to describe life and work of the French painter Paul Cézanne, whose art and specific world view inspired Merleau-Ponty's essay named Eye and Mind. The crucial influences on Paul Cézanne's life and artistic evolution were his unbalanced nature, reactions of the society to his work, and the scenery of Provence, the region where he spent major part of his life. The thesis also compares Cézanne's work with some artistic movements, among them impressionism, which he first followed and later abandoned to be able to create purely on the basis of a careful study of nature and his environment, which he attempted to imitate accurately in his...

Yorgancioglu, Derya M. Arch, Department of Architecture Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. C&acirc / n&acirc / Bilsel September 2004, 133 pages In this thesis it is aimed to develop a particular reading of Steven Holl&rsquo / s approach to architecture. It is claimed that in Holl&rsquo / s architecture there is a philosophical depth that embraces both his thinking on and making of architecture. This thesis suggests that, the phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, the French philosopher (1908-1961) is Steven Holl&rsquo / s main reference in achieving a philosophical depth in architecture. The thesis research focuses on understanding Holl&rsquo / s approach to architecture and its relation to Merleau-Ponty&rsquo / s phenomenological philosophy. In the second part of the thesis, in aiming to unfold how the design process develops the study focused on the intellectual framework in Holl&rsquo / s architecture. Specific concepts that Holl dwells upon are examined in relation to their philosophical references. This section also comprises a focus on the architect as the subject of architectural practice. In the third part, the phenomenological framework in the way Holl makes architecture is studied by examining how he relates building with site and situation / body to architectural space / body and architecture to time. This examination concludes with an inquiry in the haptic sensibility of the architect into articulating spaces and forms. Lastly, the forth part involves a study on Holl&rsquo / s particular projects, through which it is aimed to examine the architectural embodiment of his phenomenological approach. The thesis research in Steven Holl&rsquo / s architectural approach, which is held through his thinking on and making of architecture, opens up a field of study about the practice of an architect and the philosophical engagement of architecture.

Monsalve, Carlos. (2010) Emotional skills of a high school teaching staff. Experiences from six teachers. Master in Pedagogy - final examination, 30 hp, Institute of Pedagogy, Stockholm University. This research will be conducted as a final examination for the Master in Pedagogy, which I am currently attending in the Institute of Pedagogy at the Stockholm University (Sweden). My interest on this research grew up from the moment in which I identified in my experience as a teacher, the importance of a good emotional management (own emotions and other's as well) by teachers at a high school in the city of Badajoz, Spain. This is so, because this educational institute is localized in a low socio-economical status (marginalized area), which causes the students to have specific emotional difficulties that affect their normal performance in their studies and outcomes. In the same way and as a consequence of the above, it became evident to me the conclusion that teachers should be properly prepared for an effective support that students with such difficulties required. As another main reason for this investigation, it should be pointed out the existing necessity of new input in the researching ground required within the Emotional Intelligence area and its relationship with education. Most of the concepts in this respect will be supported by the formulations of the American psychologist D. Goleman. (1996). In this work, I would also like to contribute with a different analysis, employing the phenomenological method of the French philosopher Merleau-Ponty for interview analysis. Within this research, six teachers from the mentioned institution were interviewed so as to find out about their personal experiences related to the emotional ambit. Such experiences were analyzed using the phenomenological method formulated by Merleau-Ponty as I mentioned before. After the respective conclusions derived from the analysis conducted on the interviews, they followed a confrontation with the Emotional Intelligence theory by Goleman, (1996), and finally, the formulation of a conclusion which enables a solution to the questions posed in the objectives, and consequently responds to the hypothesis conceived.   Key words: EQ, Emotional Intelligence (IE), Emotional Skills, Phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenological Methodology of Merleau-Ponty. / Competencia Emocional del profesorado de un Instituto de Bachillerato. Experiencias de seis profesores. Máster en pedagogía – Examen final, 30 hp, Instituto de Pedagogía, Universidad de Estocolmo. Este estudio de investigación es realizado como examinación final del máster en pedagogía que actualmente curso en el instituto de Pedagogía de la Universidad de Estocolmo (Suecia). Mi interés en la investigación surgió al haber identificado y evidenciado, según mi experiencia como profesor, la importancia que tiene el buen manejo de las emociones (las propias y la de los demás) por parte de los profesores de un instituto de bachillerato de la ciudad de Badajoz, España. Ello, por encontrarse el instituto ubicado en un área social de estrato bajo (zona de marginación) por lo que los alumnos tienen especiales dificultades emocionales que afectan el desempeño normal de sus estudios y sus resultados. Así mismo y como consecuencia de lo anterior, me resulta clara la conclusión de que los profesores deben estar preparados adecuadamente para un apoyo efectivo que requieren dichos alumnos con ese tipo de dificultades. Como otro motivo primordial, cabe señalar la necesidad existente de nuevos aportes en el ámbito investigativo que requiere el ámbito de la Inteligencia Emocional y su relación con la educación. La mayoría de los conceptos al respecto, estarán apoyados en las formulaciones del psicólogo americano Goleman (1996). En este trabajo, deseo también aportar un análisis diferente, empleando el método fenomenológico del filósofo francés Merleau-Ponty para el análisis de las entrevistas. En la investigación se entrevistó a seis profesores de bachillerato del citado instituto para así indagar sobre sus vivencias o experiencias personales relacionadas con el ámbito emocional. Dichas vivencias fueron luego analizadas utilizando el método fenomenológico formulado por Merleau-Ponty como mencioné con anterioridad. Después de las respectivas conclusiones del análisis de las entrevistas, se procedió a confrontarlas con la teoría de la inteligencia emocional de Goleman (1996), para finalmente formular una conclusión y así llegar a una solución de  las preguntas formuladas en los objetivos y consecuentemente responder a la hipótesis planteada. Palabras claves: EQ, Inteligencia Emocional (IE), Competencia Emocional, Fenomenología, Metodología Fenomenológica de Merleau-Ponty.

Through creative and theoretical research, this practice-led PhD project investigates the conditions that facilitate embodied sensory awareness within digital inter-media installation. Central to this exploration are questions concerning ‘immersion.’ The research uses this term to describe a transformation in perception that allows us to shake off representational and symbolic meaning in favour of embodied, sensory and intuitive awareness within an installation space. Drawing from embodied memories of immersion in natural and spiritual environments, I consider the elements that contributed to these experiences and ask whether it is possible to create this sense of immersion in art. I then consider the elements that produce immersive, inter-media environments including space, sound, light, and projected moving images. Drawing on theoretical and artistic precedents, I propose a set of principles for producing a sense of embodied sensory immersion. The practical outcomes of the research - three digital inter-media installations included in the exhibition, in an other light - incorporate different combinations and treatments of these material elements to investigate and test the proposed principles.