This paper investigates Merleau-Ponty's criticism of modern idealism, which stems from the reflective model adopted by the latter. It aims at showing the need the philosopher has of going beyond the separation between the realm of "sensitivity" and the one of "understanding", as a condition to redefine the problem of rationality. It aims also at showing that the "radical reflection" proposed by Merleau-Ponty, as opposed to idealistic reflection, leads him to resume the tasks that used to be dealt with by classical metaphysics.
Merleau-Ponty; Idealism; sensitivity; understanding; rationality