In this paper, we examine Shaun Gallagher’s project of “naturalizing” phenomenology with the cognitive sciences:
front-loaded phenomenology (FLP). While we think it is a productive proposal, we argue that Gallagher does not employ
genetic phenomenological methods in his execution of FLP. We show that without such methods, FLP’s attempt to locate neurological
correlates of conscious experience is not yet adequate. We demonstrate this by analyzing Gallagher’s critique of cognitive
neuropsychologist Christopher Frith’s functional explanation of schizophrenic symptoms. In “constraining” Gallagher’s FLP
program, we discuss what genetic phenomenological method is and why FLP ought to embrace it. We also indicate what types of
structures a
genetically modified FLP will consider, and how such an approach would affect the manner in which potential neurological correlates of conscious
experience are conceptually understood and experimentally investigated.
Keywords Phenomenology - Cognitive science - Schizophrenia - Thought-insertion