The Logos of the Living World: Merleau-Ponty, Animals, and Language

Groundworks: Ecological Issues in Philosophy and Theology

by Louise Westling

Today we urgently need to reevaluate the human place in the world in relation to other animals. This book puts Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy into dialogue with literature, evolutionary biology, and animal studies. In a radical departure from most critical animal studies, it argues for evolutionary continuity between human cultural and linguistic behaviors and the semiotic activities of other animals.

In his late work, Derrida complained of philosophers who denied that animals possessed such faculties, but he never investigated the wealth of scientific studies of actual animal behavior. Most animal studies theorists still fail to do this. Yet more than fifty years ago, Merleau-Ponty carefully examined the philosophical consequences of scientific animal studies, with profound implications for human language and culture. For him, “animality is the logos of the sensible an incorporated meaning.” Human being is inseparable from animality.

This book differs from other studies of Merleau-Ponty by emphasizing his lifelong attention to science. It shows how his attention to evolutionary biology and ethology anticipated recent studies of animal cognition, culture, and communication.

Genres: Ecology, Philosophy, Animals

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

In interesting introduction to biosemiotics, through the works of Merleau-Ponty. Provides some insights into our selves and our (inter)relationship with Nature that have far-reaching implications.

The book has encouraged me to explore the topic more through Hoffmeyer's Biosemiotics and Derrida's Animal That Therefore I Am.

[Elisa R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

the kind of reading that sends you to 10 other readings, but appreciate the intro to mzerleau-ponty, Heidegger's writings on nature, and more