Merleau-Ponty and Derrida on Husserl’s Origin of Geometry
Douglas Low
Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy April 12, 2024 DOI: 10.5195/jffp.2023.1039 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Merleau-ponty Jacques derrida Edmund husserl Lévy-bruhl Philosophy of expression Philosophy of perception |
| Key points | Argues that Derrida's claims about Merleau-Ponty's misinterpretation of Husserl and the applicability of Derrida's critique to Merleau-Ponty are not supported by textual evidence. |
Abstract
Abstract: A number of claims made by Derrida concerning Merleau-Ponty’s interpretation of Husserl will be carefully considered and evaluated here. First, Derrida’s claim that Merleau-Ponty’s mis-interprets Husserl’s letter to Lévy-Bruhl will be challenged. Secondly, Derrida’s claim that his criticism of Husserl’s phenomenology can be applied just as well to Merleau-Ponty’s will be challenged. Thirdly, it is a careful consideration of textual evidence that will be used to support these challenges. Finally, Merleau-Ponty’s late lectures will take us back to the Lévy-Bruhl letter and finally to Merleau-Ponty’s own phenomenology of language, one that integrates perception and language and yet that still privileges not eidetic essences or linguistic expression but perception as its primary term.