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Hermeneutic phenomenological research

Updated: Feb 22

This series of blogs bring to knowledge paper 3 on hermeneutic phenomenological research


Paper 3.

Harris, D.A. (2015) Lived-through past, experienced present, anticipated future: Understanding “existential loss” in the context of life-limiting illness. Palliative and Supportive Care 13, 1579–1594. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951515000620


This paper answers the research question ‘What does it mean to be a person living through the illness trajectory of MND?’ and researches the phenomenon of existence after receiving a diagnosis of MND, in the context of receiving healthcare. (Harris, 2015: 1579). From the data, it emerged that people with MND live with uncertainty throughout the trajectory of their illness, and that the phenomenon of uncertainty required further examination.


A life-story approach to data collection enables participants to reflect and talk about their lived-through past, experienced present and anticipated future. This approach was chosen because Heidegger (1927/1962: 311) suggested that humans exist in a temporal structure (past, present and future).




#mnd #phenomenologicalresearch #losses #palliativecare #supportivecare






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