Some principles of Gestalt psychology

pp. 85-148

in: Aron Gurwitsch, The collected works of Aron Gurwitsch (1901-1973) III, Berlin, Springer, 2010

Abstract

Despite the differences between the theories discussed thus far, all present a dualistic account of the structure of the theme, when the latter is a melody, a geometrical configuration or, generally, any grouping of discrete, discernible elements. According to von Ehrenfels and Husserl, the dualism is between sensations in the traditional sense and sensory facts of a higher order. Both von Ehrenfels and Husserl maintain that Gestalt (form) qualities and figurale Momente belong to the realm of sensibility and present themselves as genuine sensory features displayed by perceptual groupings. While the sensory nature of the phenomena in question is thus recognized, those phenomena are still given a particular status as compared with ordinary sense-data.