Reading Mark Johnson’s "The Meaning of the Body"

Reflecting on Mark Johnson’s The Meaning of the Body, I’m struck by how powerfully it enriches the conversation between Paul Ricoeur and Richard Kearney on embodiment. Johnson emphasizes the centrality of the body in meaning-making, rooting his work in embodied cognitive science and philosophy. This naturalistic framework complements Ricoeur’s hermeneutics of selfhood and Kearney’s carnal hermeneutics, underscoring how our bodily experiences, perceptions, and emotions give rise to meaning.

Johnson’s exploration of the body as the foundation for meaning resonates deeply with Kearney’s assertion that all interpretation begins in the flesh. In The Meaning of the Body, Johnson argues that meaning emerges from the interplay between our sensory-motor experiences and our conceptual systems. This perspective aligns with Kearney’s emphasis on the primacy of sensory encounters—touching, tasting, smelling—as the bedrock of our interpretive frameworks. Johnson’s detailed account of how bodily experience shapes thought strengthens Kearney’s claim that the body isn’t merely a vessel for abstract thought but a dynamic participant in the hermeneutical process.

Moreover, Johnson’s focus on the aesthetic dimensions of meaning intersects beautifully with both Ricoeur and Kearney’s interests in narrative and the sacred. For Johnson, aesthetics—the felt qualities of experience—are fundamental to how we make sense of the world. This parallels Kearney’s exploration of the sacred through the sensuous and material, especially in rituals like the Eucharist, where meaning arises not just symbolically but through embodied, aesthetic participation. Ricoeur’s notion of narrative identity is also enriched by Johnson’s insights, as our narratives are shaped by the embodied emotions and sensory perceptions that give stories their resonance and depth.

Johnson’s work reinforces Ricoeur’s view of the body as the site of ethical engagement. He suggests that our embodied nature shapes not only how we perceive but also how we relate to others, fostering empathy and moral understanding through shared physical experiences. This connects with Kearney’s emphasis on carnal vulnerability as a source of ethical responsibility. Both Johnson and Kearney propose that our shared, embodied existence compels us to respond ethically to the presence of others, affirming the interconnectedness of all humanity.

Additionally, Johnson’s exploration of metaphor as an embodied phenomenon ties neatly into Ricoeur’s hermeneutics of symbols and Kearney’s carnal hermeneutics. For Johnson, metaphors aren’t merely linguistic constructs; they arise from embodied experiences—our physical interactions with the world shape how we think and speak about abstract concepts. Ricoeur’s work on the symbolic mediation of meaning, particularly in his studies of metaphor and narrative, aligns with this view, as does Kearney’s focus on the fleshy and sensuous dimensions of symbolic acts.

The interplay among these three thinkers—Ricoeur, Kearney, and Johnson—creates a rich tapestry for exploring embodiment. Ricoeur provides a narrative and symbolic framework for understanding selfhood and meaning. Kearney foregrounds the carnal and relational dimensions of hermeneutics. Johnson roots meaning in the physical and emotional dynamics of the body. Together, they offer a holistic vision of human existence in which meaning, ethics, and the sacred are deeply intertwined with our embodied, sensory lives.

When we consider Jesus’ words, “This is my body,” through this combined lens, they become even more profound. The Eucharist emerges not just as a symbolic or narrative act but as an embodied, aesthetic, and relational encounter with the Divine. It’s a moment where flesh, meaning, and spirit converge—a tangible invitation into a deeper, more embodied understanding of faith.