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Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological perspective on quantum mechanics

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Abstract

Merleau-Ponty’s remarks on quantum mechanics offer a unique perspective on the relationship between scientific results and their interpretation. This article elaborates Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological perspective on quantum mechanics by considering the main texts in which he explicitly attends to this topic: namely, La Nature: notes cours du Collège de France and The Visible and the Invisible.

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Notes

  1. Although there is not much material on this subject, as stated at the beginning of the paper, here we offer a short list of the most important texts dealing with the problem of science in Merleau-Ponty’s thought: Baldwin (2013); Bruzina (1973); Cardim (2006); Holland (2002); Kisiel (1970); Romdenh-Romluc (2018); Rouse (1986); Contensou (2018); Vanzago (2014).

  2. Merleau-Ponty (1994, p. 124).

  3. Bitbol (2020).

  4. Merleau-Ponty (1994, p. 120).

  5. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 14).

  6. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 15).

  7. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 16).

  8. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 18).

  9. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 20).

  10. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 120).

  11. Merleau-Ponty (1994, p. 121).

  12. On the scientific experiment as a phenomenological reduction in Merleau-Ponty, see Brenna (1969).

  13. Bitbol (2001).

  14. Bitbol (2001, 2019), Fuchs (2015, 2017).

  15. Bitbol and Gayon (2006).

  16. Destouches-Février (1951, p. 309). Unfortunately, there is no English translation of the works of Paulette Destouches-Février. For this reason, I have opted to provide my own English translations, leaving the original text in brackets.

  17. Destouches-Février (1951, p. 309).

  18. Destouches-Février (1951, p. 310).

  19. Destouches-Février (1951, p. 311).

  20. Destouches-Février (1951, p. 312).

  21. Destouches-Février (1951, p. 313).

  22. Destouches-Février (1951, p. 313).

  23. Destouches-Février (1955, p. 142).

  24. Destouches-Février (1955, p. 142).

  25. Destouches-Février (1955, p. 143).

  26. Destouches-Février (1955, p. 143).

  27. Destouches-Février (1955, p. 143).

  28. Destouches-Février (1955, p. 143).

  29. As in Husserl (1975), where he brings the fundamental concepts of logic back to their phenomenologico-genetical origin. For an overview of the distinction between genetic phenomenology and static phenomenology, see Zahavi (2002).

  30. Merleau-Ponty (1994, p. 136).

  31. Merleau-Ponty (1994, p. 124).

  32. Husserl (2001, p. 168).

  33. Brena (1969).

  34. Merleau-Ponty (1963).

  35. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 130).

  36. Merleau-Ponty (1968, p. 133).

  37. Here Renaud Barbaras quotes Husserl because the reflection of Merleau-Ponty starts from a passage in Husserl’s Ideas 2.

  38. Barbaras (1991, p. 181).

  39. Barbaras (1991, p. 183).

  40. Barbaras (1991, p. 183).

  41. Barbaras (1991, p. 184).

  42. Barbaras (1991, p. 184).

  43. Merleau-Ponty (1994, p. 136).

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  1. Università degli Studi di Trento (Italy), Via Tommaso Gar, 14, 38122, Trento, Italy

    Pablo Pellegrini

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Pellegrini, P. Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological perspective on quantum mechanics. Cont Philos Rev 54, 483–502 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11007-021-09544-x

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