Maša Poljšak Kus

Abstract
Field of empirical research of lived experience is a field with
many gaping unknowns, starting with the hard problem of
explaining the subjective aspects of consciousness. The
knowledge of what is it like to be another living organism lies on
the other side of the chasm that is first-person experience. In an
effort of bridging this chasm researchers are developing
approaches and practices of first-person observation which are
combined with second-person investigations through
descriptions of lived experience and interview methods. In the
following article we emphasize the translation aspect of both first
and second-person research approaches and problematize some
of the implications that accompany translation of experience.
With each translation comes interpretation, which we believe is
important to note and document, as it co-defines not only
experiential phenomena that end up being observed and reported,
but also the concepts and categories that researchers create based
on the reported phenomena. We also believe that in the process
of translating first-person experience into verbalized description,
information is lost, yet what survives the transference is
informative nevertheless and can help advance the translating
process itself.