The role that Habit plays for Merleau – Ponty is one that centre’s our bodies within the world, it places huge importance on the body, whereas previous phenomenological philosophers have started with the mind, Merleau-Ponty starts with the relation of our embodiment to things and people within the world. Our body does not exist ‘partes extra partes’, as other objects do, in relation to external and mechanical relationships (Merleau-Ponty 1962) it exists in relation to other things and beings and to our own mind. Our own body not only exists to us now, but also is a kind of imprint of those bodies that have gone before us, a historical make up of habit. Actions for Merleau-Ponty are embodied; however they are above all habit. When the habit of an action is broken for Merleau-Ponty it makes us realise the enormity of the action that we are carrying out.
As the body plays such a central role for Merleau-Ponty I have chosen to focus on the ethical perspective that comes from looking at his philosophy. The body is not an object separate from us; it exists in relation to others and our own embodiment. It is not an extension of oneself such as a hockey stick is an extension of a hockey player but is part of our-being. We must treat the body with utmost respect, to preserve the nature of ourselves both philosophically and physically. To understand the world, the body must be intact and able to explore and fit within the environment. This leads me to question whether for Merleau-Ponty we must treat our body with ethical consideration, not to abuse it with drugs, alcohol and other substances that may harm both our mental and physical representations. How would we as thinking beings fit into the world without the full use of the body we were born with, I believe that Merleau-Ponty would advocate that we must respect our bodies above all else. Neglect the body, neglect the mind.
Merleau-Ponty, M, 1962, ‘Phenomenology of perception’ Translated by Colin Smith., Routledge, London.
Imogen Blundell
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Thanks Imogen. Very nice work,and a good example of the type of thing we are looking for. An explanation of the philosopher and a little application of their ideas. I like that you tried to develop the ethical dimension of the body for Merleau-Ponty. I wonder how could we develop the question of embodiement more. I think certainly the word remembered can be used, the basic point I suppose is that if we neglect the body we neglect the self. Also I think for Merleau-Ponty we can relate the question of the body to possibility. If I think of my body that will be or has been, then the way we consider it has a much broader expanse.
ReplyDeleteAlso Imogen, intentional or not, you have hit on an old Jesuit maxim: Mens sana in corpore sano, healthy body, healthy mind!!
I agree with you Imogen and would like to see what Merleau- Ponty thought about today's society and the conscious body image people have. Also I would be interested to see what Ponty would make of vanity and whether it would have positive or negative affects in respects to the body.
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