Über den Begriff der Zahl: Psychologische Analysen

Edmund Husserl's work, Concerning the Concept of Number (Über den Begriff der Zahl), is a foundational text in his development of phenomenology. In this work, Husserl explored how the concept of numbers arises from mental processes, rather than being inherent in nature. He questioned the origin of numerical concepts and laid the groundwork for later ideas like "reflection" and "constitution".1

Husserl's early work was influenced by his mathematical training and Franz Brentano's descriptive psychology, particularly the concept of intentionality—consciousness being directed toward an object. He critiqued psychologism, the idea that logic and knowledge could be reduced to psychological phenomena, advocating instead for phenomenology as a "rigorous science" focused on the essential structures of pure consciousness. Through a method called phenomenological reduction, Husserl aimed to bracket everyday preconceptions to achieve a pure "intuition of essence".12