Conclusion

Amy E. Varela

pp. 494-506

in: Theodorus de Boer, The development of Husserl's thought, Berlin, Springer, 1978

Abstract

At the end of this study, I would like to look back. We have followed Husserl from his first contact with Brentano's philosophy to his conversion to transcendental idealism. We have seen that Brentano also underwent a development. To compare his earliest philosophy with that of the later Husserl is to study a most noteworthy and interesting chapter in the history of philosophy. In barely 40 years, a development took place which in all respects represents a break with Brentano's original ideals. The gap between Brentano's positivism of about 1874 and Husserl's transcendental idealism is indeed "deep as an abyss," as Husserl put it.