UNDERSTAND MERLEAU-PONTY

Abstract

Objective: "Understanding Merleau-Ponty" is a book by British philosopher Eric Matthews (2011), written with the aim of guiding the novice reader, concisely and accessibly, toward an understanding of the key concepts in Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s (1908–1961) theory of the phenomenology of perception. The work is organized into seven chapters that explore these concepts – perception, the world, embodiment, behavior, and art. Conclusion: By facilitating an understanding of Merleau-Ponty, Matthews’s work represents a significant contribution for researchers, educators, students, and professionals in health and education who wish to study perceived human experience, the relationship between the subject and the world, and embodiment. It serves as a valuable tool for qualitative studies, acting as a theoretical-methodological framework for knowledge production in the fields of health and education. The theoretical foundation of the phenomenology of perception enables a grasp of key concepts and a rethinking of educational processes for the health workforce, prompting an analysis of the experiences lived by the human being as a "being-in-the-world."