This volume presents, for the first time in English, the text of Husserl’s seminal 1923/24 lecture course Erste Philosophie. The two-semester course, which is divided into a "Critical History of Ideas" and "Theory of the Phenomenological Reduction," has long been recognized by scholars as among the most important of the many courses he taught in his career, and indeed it was thought to be so by Husserl himself, who conceived of it with a view toward eventual publication. It is unsurprising, then, that First Philosophy is the only lecture course that is consistently counted among his major works. In addition to furnishing valuable insights into Husserl’s understanding of the history of philosophy, First Philosophy is his most sustained treatment of the phenomenological reduction, the central concept of his philosophical methodology.

As Husserl’s position as a key contributor to contemporary thought has, with the passage of time, become increasingly clear, the demand for access to his writings in English has grown steadily. This translation strives to meet this demand by providing English-speaking readers access to this central Husserlian text. It will be of interest to scholars of Husserl’s work, non-specialists, and students alike.