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Merleau-Ponty, ontology, and ethics
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Merleau-Ponty, ontology, and ethics

Douglas Low
Philosophy Today, Vol.56(1), pp.59-77
56
2012
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5840/philtoday201256125
Web of Science ID: WOS:000301763100006

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6 Times Cited - Web of Science

Abstract

Ralph Perry argues that value emerges with life, i.e., with sentients and the desire to survive, and that morality, properly speaking, emerges when sentient life forms recognize each other in a common environment. David Hume reminds us that traditionally there have been two primary sources for ethical claims, basically pleasure and reason, and proceeds to offer a third, the association of approval or disapproval, which is based on sympathy for the other, with certain observed behaviors toward others. We will see that Merleau-Ponty makes use of all the above, of sentience, of sympathy for and recognition of others, and of an open rationality that is to be provisionally established in a non-coercive dialog with others. At least implied in his philosophy, then, is the belief that value begins with life and sentience, with the capacity to feel pleasure and pain, and with the interest to survive, while morality begins with the capacity to sympathize and empathize with other humans (and even other non-human species), and with the ability to dialogue with others in order to establish what is fair for all. Generally, then, ethical values, are rooted in life, sentience, and the capacity for an open dialog with others, which are rooted in, are a part of, and which emerge from nature and the complex ontology of the human body---which will be explored in some detail. A number of Derrida’s criticisms of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy will also be considered and challenged.

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