This lecture will begin with a discussion of Merleau-Ponty’s account of space. It is important to grasp what Merleau-Ponty means by space, the body is not a neutral and disinterested ‘thing’ but something projecting itself into space, into situations. Once we grasp what Merleau-Ponty means by space, then we can gain a sense of how all situations operate. For example, we will be able to understand Merleau-Ponty’s distinction between objective space and corporeal space. This distinction is brought into relief by a particular case study Merleau-Ponty explores i.e. Schneider. Schneider’s illness provides a very instructive account as to how humans relate to embodied space. In the second part of the lecture, I will explain how Merleau-Ponty deploys the Schneider case to make explicit how an individual with brain injury came to have a restrictive subject-object relation to the world. This will in turn enable me, in the final section, to explain what Merleau-Ponty has to say about sexuality in general, erotic perception, and their significance for our understanding of embodiment. 

These lectures are brought to you by Staffordshire University's Philosophy team. Come study on our MA in Continental Philosophy via this link. Or, join our MA in Philosophy of Nature, Information and Technology via this link. You can join the course F/T or P/T in January or September. Find out more about me here.

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