胡塞尔运用发生现象学方法揭示了本能、欲望、追求和意志之间的动机引发关系。在他看来,意志是一种具有自我意识的积极主动的行为,本能是本源的意志现象,它作为意志行为的低级阶段,属于前自我的意识活动。不仅如此,本能还可以成为意志的直接驱动力,并在自我构造世界的过程中具有原始的力量和作用。由于本能具有任意性、偶然性和非理性,因此它需要意志引导和确定实践目标。与本能不同的是,欲望在本能之后,它能是积极主动的也能是被动的,而本能则具有完全的被动性。本能是欲望的预备阶段,意志是欲望的最高阶段。追求体现了“为了什么做”,而意志体现了“为此的能做”。追求兼有被动性和主动性的双重特征,在等级上仅次于意志。要真正成为意志实现的动力,追求必须体现价值这一本质性目标。由此,胡塞尔批判了享乐主义者和功利主义者,认为他们把追求建立在自然主义人性论基础上,即本能和欲望自我的基础上,追求的是趣味和快乐而非价值。
Using the method of genetic phenomenology, Husserl revealed the relationships among instinct, desire, quest and will as the motivation of action. In his view, will was an active act with self-consciousness. And instinct was the original phenomenon of will. Being the elementary stage of will-act, instinct pertained to the pre-self consciousness. Moreover, instinct can also act as the immediate driving force of will, and take an original role in the process of sews construction of the world. Because of its randomieity, con- tingency and irrationality, instinct needs will for orientating and deciding the practical aims. In contrast with and following instinct, desire could either be active or be passive. In other words, instinct was the elementary stage of desire, and will was the highest stage of desire. Quest stood for "act in order to.-." , while will stood for "can do something for this ". It had the character of initiative and pas- sivity at the same time, and was next only to will in the rank of motivation. To become the motivation of will-act, quest must embody value which is the essential aim of act. Husserl thus criticized the hedonists and utilitarians. He thought that they understood quest on the base of naturalistic theories of human nature, i.e. on the base of instinctual and desired self. The aim of quest was not value but interest and pleasure.