Introduction to Philosophy

Achieve Test Prep: Philosophy

Husserl and Merleau-Ponty: The Self is Embodied Subjectivity German thinker Edmund Husserl introduced a very different approach known as phenomenology. Phenomenology refers to the conviction that all knowledge of ourselves and our world is based on the phenomena of experience. The division between the mind and the body is a product of confused thinking and the simple fact is we experience or self in unity in which the mental and physical are seamlessly woven together. This idea of self as a unity fully rejects the dualist ideas of Plato and Descartes. A generation after Husserl, the philosopher Ponty articulated a phenomenologist position declaring, “I live in my body.” By the lived body, he means an entity that can never be objectified or known in in a completely objective sort of way as opposed to the body as object of the dualists. If we honestly and accurately examine our direct and immediate experiences of ourselves, these mind/body problems fall away. The living body is a natural synthesis of mind and biology and any attempts to divide them into separate entities that are artificial and nonsensical. Everything that we are aware of and can possibly know is contained within our own consciousness and it is impossible for us to go outside of our consciousness because it defines the boundaries of our personal universe. Consciousness is a dimension of our lived body which is not and object in the world district from the knowing subject (as in Descartes), but is the subject’s own point of view on the world. Husserl and Ponty dismiss dualism as a product of philosophical misunderstanding. The living physical body and its experiences are all one a natural synthesis. Buddhist Concepts of Self Every aspect of life is impermanent and all elements of the universe are in a continual process of change and transition, a process that includes each self as well. The self is composed of five aggregates: physical form, sensation, conceptualization, dispositions to act, and consciousness. Each self is comprised of the continual interplay of these five elements but there is no substance or identity beyond the dynamic interaction of these five elements. Buddhist philosophy allows for the idea of reincarnation as the self passes from body to body. The Buddha uses the mudra (a scared gesture) to represent the Karmic wheel of birth, death, and rebirth. Making Connections: In Search of the Self Achieving your goals in life both in terms of personal growth and real world success is directly related to your insight into the nature of your-self. The key to determining your authentic life goals and overcoming obstacles that may be inhibiting your success and taking the most productive path to achieving your aspirations is grounded in self-understanding. Your self is bound in a network of relationships with other selves the person you are is in large shaped by your social experiences in your life: your family, you culture, your religion, your community, and your friends. Developing productive and health relationships with others is clearly related to developing and enlightened philosophy of the self. It is only through self-examination that we will be able to diminish the destructive impulses that humans seem to be prone to promoting. It is in the process of striving to understand our self that we may also discover the purpose of our existence and the path to living a productive and fulfilling life.

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