German philosopher Bernhard Waldenfels - a recognised phenomenologist interested, among other things, in the theme of a 'stranger' or 'alien' - suggests that humans are liminal beings. He presents this idea in his book Phenomenology of the Alien: Basic Concepts. What does Waldenfels mean? In the first chapter of the book, he introduces and explains … Continue reading Humans as Liminal Beings
A Thought On Change
In a recent conversation about the need for change in view of the multitude of global challenges we face in this, our lifetime, I was reminded of the quote I read in a wonderfully thought-stimulating novel by Matt Haig, The Humans. Indeed, are we not curious creatures? We fear change and crave it, avoid it … Continue reading A Thought On Change
Self-Knowledge Is Never Complete
"We always find ourselves within a situation, and throwing light on it is a task that is never entirely finished. This is also true of the hermeneutic situation—i.e., the situation in which we find ourselves with regard to the tradition that we are trying to understand. The illumination of this situation—reflection on effective history—can never … Continue reading Self-Knowledge Is Never Complete
Importance of Gaps
In the traditional Japanese art of arranging flowers - ikebana, "living flowers", or kado, "the way of flowers" - special attention is paid to the so-called negative space. How can a gap, an empty space be important, valuable, and even beautiful? With its history of more than 1,500 years, ikebana, unlike Western flower arrangement practices, … Continue reading Importance of Gaps
Obligation to Be Clear
In this passage from his 1953 book "The Captive Mind", Czeslaw Milosz tells us about the experiences of artists in the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries that came under its influence. In particular, the effects of the dictatorship of the one Method manifest in individual self-censorship and the gradually sedimenting conviction that things cannot … Continue reading Obligation to Be Clear
Critical Problem of Universal Theories
As attractive as theories promising to explain everything may be, any theory that claims universality faces a critical challenge. This challenge is built into its very claim of universality and consists in the following. A theory is elaborated and posited by someone, perhaps a group of people, maybe with the help of AI. No matter … Continue reading Critical Problem of Universal Theories
Merleau-Ponty on the Perceived World
"The perceived world is the always presupposed foundation of all rationality, all value and all existence. This thesis does not destroy either rationality or the absolute. It only tries to bring them down to earth." Merleau-Ponty ("The Visible and the Invisible", 1968) keep exploring! P.S. Thank you for visiting me here on the humanfactor.blog! If you enjoyed … Continue reading Merleau-Ponty on the Perceived World
Paul Ricoeur on Narrative Identity
In a passage from Paul Ricoeur's 1991 essay Narrative Identity, the French philosopher discusses the narrative constitution of identity, be it personal or community. In this passage, he proposes the idea of narrative identity as a fundamental experience that integrates history and fiction into one type of narrative - that which is concerned with interpreting … Continue reading Paul Ricoeur on Narrative Identity
Habits and Norms
What makes some actions and ways of moving appear 'normal' to us while others 'strange'? According to Sara Ahmed, at the heart of the matter is repetition. When repeated regularly by enough people, that way of being gradually becomes the 'norm'. We say then - that is just how things are. It is a given. … Continue reading Habits and Norms
Welcoming Spaces
What makes a space welcoming? How do we experience space as welcoming instead of hostile or simply indifferent? Maurice Merleau-Ponty observes that our bodies trail behind our actions in our daily lives. I am involved in an activity, for example, walking my dog. Usually, I do not notice my body and each of its movements … Continue reading Welcoming Spaces
humanfactor 