Publication Details

Abstract

The paper gives an outline of a conception of philosophy based on some ideas of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology. Merleau-Ponty tries to overcome the traditional thinking (namely its idealistic philosophy/realistic science pattern). He abandons the purely reflexive attitude and turns to the original realm of experience. This turn is crucial for Merleau-Ponty way of philosophizing: issues such as the relationship between the subject and the world (or the Other) are no more explored from the perspective of an impartial spectator, but rather from the perspective of a bodily engaged thinker situated in the world. Therefore, for him the role of philosophy is not reduced to searching for and describing the Truth valid for ever. He rather envisages the philosophy, which should be aware of its being a part of the ambiguous lived world. It also should be nourished by perception, which is a philosopher’s primary sort of cognition. As an example he depicts Socrates and his vivid relationship with the polis.