THE PHILOSOPHY OP GABRIEL MARCEL AND CONTEMPORARY EMPHASIS IN EDUCATION by Claude D. MacNeil Thesis presented to the Faculty of Education of the University of Ottawa as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ^ BIBLIOTHfQljrs * 1 V OS °** Ottawa, Canada, 1969 rtvimuo . v- \ ;uOttawa \ UMI Number: DC53797 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI® UMI Microform DC53797 Copyright 2011 by ProQuest LLC All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis was prepared under the direction of Rev. Jacques Gagne, O.M.I., Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education of the University of Ottawa. The writer is indebted, as well, to the Canada Council for the Award which enabled him to pursue his doctoral studies. CURRICULUM STUDIORUM Claude D. MacNeil was born April 18, 1931» in Florence, Nova Scotia. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Assumption University, Windsor, in 1958 and the Master of Education degree from the University of Toronto in 1963. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter page INTRODUCTION vi PART I THE MAN AND HIS WORKS 1 I,- BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 3 II.- THE WRITER 9 III.- THE CONTROVERSIAL PHILOSOPHER 18 1. Commentators on Marcel's Philosophy 18 2. Marcel's View of his own Philosophy 27 PART II A SYNTHESIS OF MARCEL'S PHILOSOPHY 39 Section One The P©£son_in Marcel_]_s_Philo_sophy_ Ip. IV.- MAN THE WAYFARER \\Z 1. The Human Condition \\Z 2. Transcendence: the Basis of Hope and Salvation l\$ V.- THE EGO, THE PERSON AND HUMAN DIGNITY 59 1. Egolatry vs. Self-Transcendence 59 2. Disponibilite, Indisponibilite 67 3. Human Dignity 70 \, Human Dignity and Fraternity 73 VI.- CREATIVE FREEDOM 77 VII.- POLARITIES IN EXISTENCE 85 1. Having and Being 85 2. Problem and Mystery 90 3. Primary and Secondary Reflection 95 VIII.- DANGERS AND SAFEGUARDS IN THE PROCESS OP BECOMING 99 1. Dangers of Degradation 100 2. Salvation for the Person 108 TABLE OF CONTENTS v Chapter page Section Two The p_erson_and_the_"Other" 116 IX.- INTERSUBJECTIVITY AND PARTICIPATION 118 X.- CONCRETE APPROACHES TO BEING 131 1. Fidelity 131 2. Presence ll|-l 3. Love 11+6 XI.- THE ABSOLUTE THOU AND FAITH 159 Section Three XII.- CRITICAL OVERVIEW OF MARCEL'S PHILOSOPHY .... 173 PART III CONTEMPORARY EMPHASIS IN EDUCATION AND MARCEL'S PHILOSOPHY 183 XIII.- SELF-FULFILLMENT 186 1. The Perceptual Approach I87 2. Marcel's Approach 198 XIV.- DIGNITY, INTEGRITY, AUTONOMY 205 1. The Perceptual Approach 205 2. Marcel's Approach 207 XV.- CONFORMITY AND CREATIVITY 213 1. The Perceptual Approach 213 2. Marcel's Approach 216 XVI.- IDENTIFICATION 223 1. The Perceptual Approach 223 2. Marcel's Approach 226 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 231 BIBLIOGRAPHY 238 ABSTRACT OF The Philosophy of Gabriel Marcel and Contemporary Emphasis in Education. 250 INTRODUCTION The apparent dilemma of the individual and society has admitted of various proposed solutions both in philosophy and education. In the history of mankind ve have seen ex­ tremism directed towards both "horns" of this dilemma, pro­ posing an "either-or" solution. On the one hand, excessive emphasis on the individual led to a denial of the rights of society and resulted in in­ dividualism which is an idolatry of the single person. Pro­ ponents of this philosophy regarded the individual as the central and, in many cases, the only value in society. If an individual so chooses he may engage or withdraw himself from society. The concept of society in this doctrine was a sum-total of individuals, each an autonomous being and master of his own fate. The resultant state of the situa­ tion was one of rugged or rampant individualism or anarchy. This was due to the atomistic or molecular view of society. On the other hand, excessive emphasis on the State or society led to the denial of basic human rights and pre­ sented an abstraction as a center of worship. An individual in such a situation was a product of the State and existed only for the good of the State, This was not voluntary self- sacrifice but enslavement. The resultant state of this situation was collectivism or totalitarianism. This was due INTRODUCTION vii to a collectivist or molar view of society. Man's search continues for a philosophy of life in which the rights of society and the rights of the individual can be reconciled, a means whereby the person is socialized and society is personalized - a solution which is beyond individualism and beyond collectivism. Christian philosophy has proposed such a reconciliation between the two but this has not been acceptable to all because the concept of the person, society, and the interrelations that exist in these two concepts have not been explained in concrete terms. The solution cannot be found in man himself nor in society itself but in something which transcends both and unites both. In the field of education, a recent shift in emphasis from the subject matter to the individual is quite evident. This shift could be paralleled to the dichotomy that has existed between the individual and society. In emphasizing the subject matter, educators tended to neglect the unique­ ness of the individual with his own needs and interests. The individual is now becoming the prime concern of educa­ tors and there is an extensive and intensive consideration given in educational circles to philosophies which are cen­ tered on the individual. Thus, the philosophy of Existen­ tialism is becoming prominent since its focal point is the human person existing in a particular situation and this INTRODUCTION viil reflects contemporary emphasis in education. The present study was undertaken as a result of the tendency on the part of certain American educational com­ mentators to confuse Existentialism with the atheistic and nihilistic doctrines of Jean-Paul Sartre, a pessimistic view of human nature and freedom which does not admit of a valid social doctrine. Attempts to relate such doctrines to education have failed because the stress on the absolute freedom of the in­ dividual in the philosophy of Sartre negated any workable social doctrine and by the same token any substantial con­ tribution to the highly social endeavour of education. More­ over, the generalizations made by these writers do not ac­ count for the divergent views held by other existentialists. The plays of Sartre achieved wide acclaim when first pub­ lished in the United States. The populace became familiar with a brand of philosophy which was labeled Existentialism, Few other existentialist writings were translated and, as a result, Sartre and Existentialism became synonymous. Little consideration was given to religious existentialists because they were considered to be minor representatives of this movement* The philosophy of Gabriel Marcel was given token acknowledgement as a result of his intense opposition to eertain of Sartre's doctrines and also because of his INTRODUCTION ix religious bent. He is perhaps the most outspoken critic of Sartre today. This does not mean that his is a negative philosophy but rather it stresses the positive role of the human person in society. The question arises as to the ap­ plicability of Marcel's philosophy to education. It is proposed that Marcel can offer more to education than an excessive emphasis on freedom since he does present a social doctrine which is in direct contrast to that of Sartre and one which presents the other side of the existentialist coin. In the commentaries on existentialism and education, the philosophy of Marcel is only mentioned in passing, if at all. Sufficient consideration has not been accorded to it. In many articles he is dismissed on the grounds that he is a religious existentialist - as if religion must not be men­ tioned in connection with education. The fact that Marcel has always addressed himself to unbelievers seems to have been overlooked. The exclusivist and fragmentary character of those existentialist philosophies chosen by these educa­ tional writers demands a further consideration of the phi­ losophy of Marcel in the light of possible educational con­ tributions. It is not the purpose of this study to present the total philosophy of Gabriel Marcel nor to make extensive comparisons between this philosophy and any other philosophies of education or existentialist philosophies. Nor will an INTRODUCTION x attempt be made to research the origin of Marcel's ideas in the philosophies of those who had a direct influence on him, nor to follow the genesis of his ideas to their present state but rather to expose his thought in its present fruition. The choice of topics will be made on the basis of the re­ searcher's conclusion that a unity can be found in approach­ ing his philosophy from the vantage point of the need for being and a person's relationship to himself, to others and to the Transcendent in his striving for self-fulfillment. No attempt will be made to criticize Marcel's philosophy in the light of Thomistic principles or any other philosophy but to use internal criticism to evaluate it. Marcel worked out his philosophy at first through and eventually in opposition to Idealism, He was attracted at first by the idea of a transcendental realm beyond life but he could not deny the reality that surrounded him and the fact that he lived, felt, and experienced that reality.