A phenomenological investigation of the child -animal bond
Abstract
The experience of childhood contains many encounters with various forms of the animal Other. Contact takes place with real animals at home, at zoos, and in the wild; the stories children tell and those they are told are animated with an animal presence; dreams and play often contain real and imaginary animals. Yet there has not been a rigorous philosophical investigation of the meaning of the important bond that children share with animals. What are the essences given to experience in the important bond between children and the animals that are part of their everyday lives? This is a matter for philosophical investigation because it is a very important formative life-world experience that both scientific and anecdotal evidence has shown has a large impact throughout one’s lifespan. My dissertation seeks to give an in-depth examination of this bond and find structural similarities shared by the various manifestations of the child-animal bond. My methodology is grounded in Husserlian phenomenology, where a descriptive procedure is used to discover and ground essences that are given to experience.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Roberts, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Philosophy|Communication
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