The irreducibility of subjectivity: exploring the intersubjective dialectic of body-subject and body-object in anorexia nervosa

Abstract

This paper delves into the complex and conflicting relationship between the body-subject and body-object, as well as the self and the other, within the context of anorexia nervosa. Within the field of phenomenology of medicine and health, the emphasis tends to be on the dimension of the lived body, with limited attention given to the physical dimension of the body. Recognizing the work of scholars who have acknowledged this oversight and made progress in addressing it, this paper aims to further unify the two bodily dimensions of the lived body and the physical body by drawing primarily on Husserl’s phenomenology of constitution and intersubjectivity. The central argument put forth is that in the case of anorexia nervosa, confronted with the inherent split between these dimensions and the conflicting relationship between the self and other, it is crucial to adhere to the constitutive principle of irreducibility of subjectivity. Moreover, there is a need to promote the constitutive interplay between the two dimensions and accentuate the constitutive dialectic structure of the self and other. Through these insights, the paper offers potential avenues for understanding and addressing the lived experiences of individuals battling anorexia nervosa.