Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Series | Book | Chapter

149841

Essence, abyss, and self

Hedwig Conrad-Martius on the non-spatial dimensions of being

Ronny Miron

pp. 147-167

Abstract

Hedwig Conrad-Martius (1888–1966) (HCM), the woman pioneer of the realistic phenomenological school, describes the reality (Realität) to which her philosophizing is addressed as "totally non-material corporeality". With this contradictory expression she seeks to affirm two foundational aspects regarding reality: the spatial that achieved material realization in real existents and the concealed non-spatial that is at the cradle of the establishing of reality and remains present behind its phenomenal and material appearing. This article focuses on three ontological elements in HCM's idea of reality—"essence", "abyss", and "self"—whose meaning both implies and raises the issue of the non-spatiality of Being in a complex manner. Moreover, the three seek the same objective of coming to terms with the force in real beings that will never ever be able to shine in its entirety. By means of philosophical explication of the mentioned elements and the illumination of the dialectic of each of them with the corresponding spatial aspects, this article demonstrates the evolution of HCM's understanding of the issue of spatiality that mirrors her metaphysics as a whole.

Publication details

Published in:

Luft Sebastian, Hagengruber Ruth (2018) Women phenomenologists on social ontology: we-experiences, communal life, and joint action. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 147-167

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-97861-1_11

Full citation:

Miron Ronny (2018) „Essence, abyss, and self: Hedwig Conrad-Martius on the non-spatial dimensions of being“, In: S. Luft & R. Hagengruber (eds.), Women phenomenologists on social ontology, Dordrecht, Springer, 147–167.