Description
The Problem of Passivity: Sleep, the Unconscious, Memory
Book Summary
In this fundamental work, Maurice Merleau-Ponty addresses for the first time in a systematic way the problem of passivity, not as a static state, but as an active modality of our relationship with the world. Through the analysis of sleep, the unconscious, and memory, the French philosopher unravels how these seemingly passive experiences shape our perception and existence. This book offers the reader a profound and original look at the human condition, questioning the boundaries between the active and the passive, and revealing the complexity of our inner life.
What is it about?
The book collects the working notes prepared by Merleau-Ponty for the course taught between 1954 and 1955. In it, the author explores passivity as an essential dimension of human experience, moving away from the traditional conception that reduces it to a mere absence of activity. Based on a phenomenological analysis, he examines how sleep, the unconscious, and memory are not mere states of rest or receptivity, but rather constitute particular ways of relating to the world and to ourselves. Merleau-Ponty investigates the way these phenomena reveal a structure of meaning that underlies our conscious life, offering a pioneering reflection on embodiment, temporality, and perception.
Main themes
- Passivity as an active modality of the relationship with the world.
- Phenomenology of sleep and its existential meaning.
- The unconscious from a phenomenological and bodily perspective.
- Memory as a temporal structure of experience.
- Critique of dualistic conceptions of subjectivity.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at students and scholars of philosophy, especially those interested in phenomenology, ontology, and metaphysics. It is also of great value to psychologists, psychoanalysts, and social science scholars who seek a deeper understanding of unconscious processes and subjectivity. Likewise, it is essential reading for readers with a solid philosophical background who wish to delve into the thought of one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century.
What this book contributes
- An original perspective on passivity, which redefines it as an active and constitutive phenomenon of experience.
- A rigorous phenomenological analysis of sleep, the unconscious, and memory, which expands the understanding of these concepts.
- First-hand material from Merleau-Ponty's course, which allows access to his thought process and theoretical elaboration.
- A critique of dualistic visions of subjectivity, integrating body, perception, and meaning into a dynamic unity.
Technical specifications
- Author: Merleau-Ponty, Maurice
- Publisher: Anthropos Editorial
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Literary essays, Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology
- Collection: Social Sciences
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: November 2017
- Number of pages: 192
- Weight: 250 g
Editorial review
This work constitutes a key piece for understanding the evolution of Merleau-Ponty's thought and his contribution to phenomenology. The treatment of passivity as an active modality of relationship with the world offers a refreshing perspective that enriches contemporary philosophical debate. Its reading will be especially stimulating for those who seek to overcome the classic dichotomies between subject and object, activity and passivity, consciousness and the unconscious. It is a dense but accessible text for readers familiar with phenomenological terminology, which will undoubtedly reward the effort with a more nuanced understanding of human experience.