[Xmca-l] Exploring this notion of *thirds*

[Lplarry]

 I wanted to explore a question posed by Merleau-Ponty that focuses on Gestalt Psychology as M-P appropriated this German psychology. Collaboration and cooperation and motivation (to care and show concern) are involved but the focus of attention shifts towards a *third* dimension beyond subject and object ways of knowing. 

M-P when exploring gestalts used the terms *form* and *structure* as synonyms and these terms are pointing towards this *same* third dimension.

Gestalt has been discussed as central also to Vygotsky so there is overlap.

M-P’s focus of attention indicates that everything depends on whether and how it is possible to think a whole that resists analysis. Form is not reducible (abstracting) to it’s parts, but neither is form anything *other* than it’s parts.

How then are we to understand this relation of the totality to it’s parts? 
What status must we give totality?

This question, M-P says,
“ is at the center of this course on the idea of Nature *and maybe the whole of philosophy*”

Merleau-Ponty was exploring this third dimension which was leading towards notions of a *mileau* (place) which is common to both – philosophy and the positive sciences -.
This place as a third dimension *opens up* (this side of subjectivity and objectivity) (this side of our autonomy and dependence) a place wherein these phenomena no longer contradict one another.

Not sure if others find this theme of a third dimension (which can be perceived as mileau) which emerges from M-P’s appropriation of gestalt psychology as a door which opens into a *new* dimension is relevant.  

This mileau that is resistant to analysis into abstracted reductions but also is no thing that transcends these parts.
Merleau Ponty finds “ intelligibility” in this “nascent” mileau within which collaboration and cooperation and motivation for care all occur.
This third dimension.
I realize this is a contra/verse/ able question but is one perspective on this theme.

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