Thinking about phenomenology

This morning I've been reading a book about phenomenology and nursing. It was written by the late Michael Crotty and is a good read. As some of you will know, Garfinkel's development of ethnomethodology was influenced by the work of phenomenologists. So, I'm keen to further my knowledge of that influence.

I've just read a section which considers intentionality - a concept central to mainstream phenomenology (as Crotty refers to it). He quotes Psathas:
"Phenomenology does not divide or separate the knowing subject from the object of study in order to concentrate on one or the other. The world is not filled with objects that have appearances independent of humans who experience them, nor does subjective experience exist independently of the objects, events, and activities experienced. There is no pure subjective subject or pure objective object. Phenomenology recognizes that all consciousness is consciousness of something (where 'thing' is not to be taken to literally mean an existential object). Intentionality is the term used to refer to this relation" (Psathas, 1973, p. 14; cited in Crotty,1996, p. 46)