Manfred Sommer's Philosophy of Gathering

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the discussion of Mannfred Sommer’s philosophy, particularly his phenomenology of the practice of gathering. Sommer’s conception is underlaid by the distinction between an economical gathering and an aesthetical gathering. Whereas the former can be described as an accumulation that is nondifferential in its nature, the latter is essentially differential – it is directed towards individual features of the object. However, on the closer consideration the economical gathering turns out to be imperfect and incomplete form of the aesthetical gathering. Gathering as well as collecting stem from the fundamental fact that we are homo videns – beings that find the ultimate joy in the activity of seeing. As homo videns we also desire that this activity should last forever. The paper ends with the discussion of the critical remarks upon Sommer’s philosophy.