Maurice Merleau-Ponty

Born in 1908 plato.stanford.edu
Philosophy
  • Maurice Merleau-Ponty was a French phenomenological philosopher who significantly influenced 20th-century thought.

  • Born in 1908, he studied alongside Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir at the École Normale Supérieure.

  • Merleau-Ponty's work focused on perception's role in understanding and engaging with the world.

  • He uniquely bridged phenomenology with sciences, particularly psychology.

  • His major works include "La structure du comportement" and "Phénoménologie de la Perception." Merleau-Ponty held prestigious academic positions, including the Chair of Philosophy at the Collège de France.

  • He was also politically engaged, serving as editor for Les Temps Modernes.

  • Merleau-Ponty died suddenly in 1961 at the age of 53.

Books by Maurice Merleau-Ponty