Gestalt Epistemology: From Gestalt Psychology to Phenomenology in the Work of Michael Polanyi

Gestalt psychology of perception was one the main inspirations behind philosophical work Hungarian polymath Michael Polanyi. Seeing scientists and philosophers backing away from its implications, he proposed instead to take those implications seriously. I detail four ways in which did so, result his theory “tacit knowing”. This can be thought as a epistemology, because it takes figure/ground relation model for all knowing. Polanyi took epistemology apply widely. argue that is more successful with some problems applied than others, thus wrong think they exhibit common pattern. Polanyi’s epistemological led him position alongside phenomenology. He compared project Husserl Merleau-Ponty positive way. But, while sympathised phenomenological method, strongly endorsed anti-reductionist conclusions, criticised phenomenologists acquiescing positivistic or mechanistic view natural sciences, went on develop metaphysics ontology considered have gone beyond However, sometimes follow certain an existentialist direction, conclusions about meaningfulness “destruction”, related account various degrees levels “indwelling”. conclude by arguing that, places where this, over-extends, this raises problem entire tacit