Meanings
plural heterophenomenologies
- phenomenology of the other
- method of studying the consciousness of other people
1 more example
I go to some lengths in my book to explain that heterophenomenology is nothing other than the scientific method applied to the phenomena of consciousness, and thus the way to save the rich phenomenology of consciousness for scientific study. I didn't invent the heterophenomenological method; I just codified, more self-consciously and carefully than before, the ground rules already tacitly endorsed by the leading researchers.
1993, Daniel Dennett, Consciousness and Cognition, volume 2, number 1
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*sem-
- Proto-Indo-European*sḿ̥teros
- Proto-Hellenic*hə́teros
- Ancient Greekἕτερος (héteros)
- Englishhetero-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂nyéti
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰáňňō
- Ancient Greekφαίνω (phaínō)
- Ancient Greekφαινόμενον (phainómenon)
- Late Latinphaenomenon
- Englishphenomenon
- Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
- Proto-Indo-European*lóǵos
- Proto-Hellenic*lógos
- Ancient Greekλόγος (lógos)
- Englishphenomenology
- Englishheterophenomenology
From hetero- + phenomenology, coined by American philosopher Daniel Dennett.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
heterophenomenology. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterophenomenology
“heterophenomenology.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterophenomenology. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heterophenomenology,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterophenomenology.
Source: heterophenomenology on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.