Explanation and reductionism in experimental phenomenology

Phenomenology was born inside a philosophical milieu (Brentano, Husserl), but at its very beginning it appeared as a sound theoretical and methodological approach for a scientific psychology, which could become independent from philosophy by keeping at the same time the fundamental interest to the subjective human experience. A short survey of the first founders of experimental phenomenology shows how this approach was satisfying the deep needs of the researchers, and contributed to the characterization of psychology not only as an independent science, but keeping it essentially phenomenal soul. The analysis of some paradigmatic positions enlightens the critical issues dealing with the relationships between phenomenology and philosophy, psychology, neurophysiology, experimentation, natural sciences. The problem of which kind of scientific explanation can suit the salient traits of experimental phenomenology is explored by annotating some considerable positions of authors who gave significant contributes to the still open debate.