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Body and Perception -- A Study of Merleau-Ponty's Theory of the Body
- 1 Beijing National Day School
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Abstract
Maurice Merleau-Ponty's theory of the body brings a new perspective to Western philosophy and phenomenology. Merleau-Ponty inherited Husserl's phenomenology of consciousness and emphasized the idea of the oneness of mind and body. In this theory, Merleau-Ponty put forward the concept of “flesh” to oppose the Cartesian dichotomy of body and mind. In his understanding of perception, Merleau-Ponty proposed the concept of “perceptual field”, in which Merleau-Ponty believed that perception is embodied in the form of a field in which things can be presented in the most primitive and complete way, and perception is direct. At the same time, the concept of “flesh of the world” is also put forward. “Flesh” is the basic nature of people and the world, and the communication between human beings and the external world is the “flesh” and the “flesh” of the world. The communication between human beings and the external world is the direct mutual perception and interaction between the “flesh” and the “flesh of the world”. According to Merleau-Ponty, in communication, the body is the medium for perceiving and understanding symbols, and the meaning of symbols is formed through bodily experience and culture. The speech act is a complex expression of the body's interaction with the world that allows for a shared experience between the speaker and the listener. Merleau-Ponty's concept emphasizes the monadic embodiment of perception and thought, matter and consciousness in the body, breaking through the limitations of the a priori philosophical thinking of Western logic.
Keywords
phenomenology, Body-Schema, perception
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Cite this article
Wang,Y. (2025). Body and Perception -- A Study of Merleau-Ponty's Theory of the Body. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,78,50-55.
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Volume title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Social Psychology and Humanity Studies
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