Learning and Teaching as Withdrawal: a Phenomenological Perspective on Fundamental Pedagogical Concepts

This paper discusses Käte Meyer-Drawe’s phenomenological understanding of learning as a transformative experiential process that involves a triadic change of the self as well as the relationship to others and the world. Against this background, various learning phenomena arise, including wonder, getting involved or being moved, which trigger and productively accompany learning processes as affects but cannot be consciously initiated. They are characterized by a peculiar active-passive structure. This article takes a phenomenological approach to discuss the extent to which learning can be initiated and promoted. Since, from a phenomenological perspective, human learning is characterized by a general withdrawal, the question also arises as to the extent that these educational-philosophical considerations of learning can be incorporated into Martin Wagenschein’s view of didactics and which educational premises can be derived from them.