THE THE PHENOMENOLOGYPHENOMENOLOGY

OFOFEMBODIMENTEMBODIMENT

PARADOX OF EMBODIMENTPARADOX OF EMBODIMENTI can say neither that I am my body nor that my body I can say neither that I am my body nor that my body is something external to me, over which I have the is something external to me, over which I have the

right of a proprietorright of a proprietor. .

I recognize an intimate I recognize an intimate relation of myself relation of myself with my body, and with my body, and thus truly say: thus truly say: I am I am

my bodymy body..

I cannot reduce my I cannot reduce my whole humanity to whole humanity to my body. My body my body. My body is only something I is only something I

have: have: I have my I have my bodybody..

It is impossible for me either:It is impossible for me either:

to identify myself with to identify myself with my bodymy body

PURE BEINGPURE BEING

to separate myself to separate myself radically from itradically from it

PURE HAVINGPURE HAVING

HISTORICAL REVIEWHISTORICAL REVIEW

Man is his soul.Man is his soul.

““Surely the soul can best Surely the soul can best reflect when it is free of all reflect when it is free of all

distractions…when it distractions…when it ignores the body and ignores the body and

becomes as far as possible becomes as far as possible independent, avoiding all independent, avoiding all

physical contacts and physical contacts and associations as much as it associations as much as it

can, in its search for can, in its search for reality.”reality.”

[Phaedo][Phaedo]PLATOPLATO

(ca. 430-350 bc.)(ca. 430-350 bc.)

Man is the composite of body and Man is the composite of body and soul.soul.

““A further problem…is this: are A further problem…is this: are they all affections of the complex they all affections of the complex of body and soul, or is there any of body and soul, or is there any one among them peculiar to the one among them peculiar to the soul by itself?… If we consider soul by itself?… If we consider

the majority of them, there the majority of them, there seems to be no case in which the seems to be no case in which the

soul can act or be acted upon soul can act or be acted upon without involving the body… without involving the body…

Thinking seems the most Thinking seems the most probable exception; but if this probable exception; but if this

too proves to be a form of too proves to be a form of imagination or to be impossble imagination or to be impossble

without imagination, it too without imagination, it too requires a body as a condition of requires a body as a condition of

its existence.”its existence.” [De Anima][De Anima]

ARISTOTLEARISTOTLE(ca. 304-322 bc.)(ca. 304-322 bc.)

Man can be divided into Man can be divided into body and soul, and the body and soul, and the soul is more real and soul is more real and

important. important.

Man is the unity of body Man is the unity of body and soul and he can and soul and he can

exist only as this unity.exist only as this unity.

Man is created in the Man is created in the image and likeness of image and likeness of God.God.

AUGUSTINEAUGUSTINE(ca. 354-430 ad.)(ca. 354-430 ad.)

Man is embodied spirit.Man is embodied spirit.

““For just as it belongs to For just as it belongs to the nature of this the nature of this

particular man to be particular man to be composed of this soul, composed of this soul,

of this flesh, and of of this flesh, and of these bones, so it these bones, so it

belongs to the nature of belongs to the nature of man to be composed of man to be composed of soul, flesh, and bones.”soul, flesh, and bones.”

[Summa Theologiae][Summa Theologiae]

THOMAS AQUINASTHOMAS AQUINAS(1226-1274)(1226-1274)

There is a profound and There is a profound and real difference between real difference between

the body and soul of the body and soul of manman

Cogito, ergo sum.Cogito, ergo sum.

““A thinking being (res A thinking being (res cogitans). What is a cogitans). What is a

thinking being? It is a thinking being? It is a being which doubts, being which doubts, which understands, which understands, which affirms, which which affirms, which denies, which wills, denies, which wills, which rejects, which which rejects, which imagines also, and imagines also, and which perceives.”which perceives.”

[Meditations on First Philosophy][Meditations on First Philosophy]

RENÉ DESCARTESRENÉ DESCARTES(1596-1659)(1596-1659)

Man’s embodiment is not Man’s embodiment is not simply a datum alongside simply a datum alongside other data but the primary other data but the primary datum that is the starting datum that is the starting

point and basis of any point and basis of any philosophical reflection.philosophical reflection.

Critique of DescartesCritique of Descartes

reduced the body to an reduced the body to an ob-ob-jectum jectum (thrown in front)(thrown in front)

The body is taken as an The body is taken as an objective idea apart from objective idea apart from

me. It is no longer my body me. It is no longer my body but but aa body. body.

 

GABRIEL MARCELGABRIEL MARCEL(1889-1973)(1889-1973)

I cannot separate my self from my body. My I cannot separate my self from my body. My being-in-the-world is not the bodily life alone being-in-the-world is not the bodily life alone nor the spiritual life alone but the life of an nor the spiritual life alone but the life of an

embodied spirit.embodied spirit.  

There are two faces shown then in the There are two faces shown then in the experience of my body: experience of my body:

““I have my body” and “I am my body.”I have my body” and “I am my body.”

THE BODY AS INTERMEDIARYTHE BODY AS INTERMEDIARY between the self or subject and the worldbetween the self or subject and the world

Through his bodily being man is in relation with the world.Through his bodily being man is in relation with the world.

AMBIVALENCE OF EMBODIMENT AMBIVALENCE OF EMBODIMENT AMBIGUITY OF INTERMEDIARIES AMBIGUITY OF INTERMEDIARIES

An intermediary can both be a bridge and an obstacle. These An intermediary can both be a bridge and an obstacle. These two meanings of intermediary are circumscribed when I two meanings of intermediary are circumscribed when I

say that my body is an intermediary between my self and say that my body is an intermediary between my self and the world.the world.

Through my body, an Through my body, an encounter and encounter and

agreement occurs agreement occurs between my self and between my self and

the world. This the world. This encounter can only encounter can only

take place in the take place in the experience of my experience of my

body. body.

Through my body, I Through my body, I experience the world experience the world as my world and we as my world and we are familiar to each are familiar to each

other.other.

Through my body I Through my body I experience the experience the

world as separate world as separate from me. I am “not-from me. I am “not-

world” and the world” and the world is “not-I.”  world is “not-I.”  

There is a distance There is a distance between me and the between me and the

world; my body world; my body participates in the participates in the

world but cannot be world but cannot be reduced to it.reduced to it.

THE BODY IN INTERSUBJECTIVITYTHE BODY IN INTERSUBJECTIVITY

My body is also an intermediary between me and My body is also an intermediary between me and others. I show myself to the other and the other others. I show myself to the other and the other

also shows himself to me through my body.also shows himself to me through my body.

Encounters between men are possible because in Encounters between men are possible because in a certain sense man “is” his body. And insofar a certain sense man “is” his body. And insofar

as man “is” his body, the encounter with his as man “is” his body, the encounter with his fellowmen occurs without any intermediary fellowmen occurs without any intermediary

whatsoever. The inner life of man reveals itself whatsoever. The inner life of man reveals itself immediately in his external behavior.immediately in his external behavior.

Through our body, Through our body, we interrelate with we interrelate with each other in many each other in many different ways – in different ways – in

our facial our facial expressions, in our expressions, in our

gestures, in our gestures, in our speech, in our body speech, in our body

movements.movements.

Through our body Through our body also we can refuse also we can refuse to interrelate with to interrelate with

others – in our others – in our facial expressions, facial expressions, in our gestures, in in our gestures, in our speech, in our our speech, in our body movements.body movements.