---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On the one hand, man is a body, in the…"
description: "\"On the one hand, man is a body, in the same way that this may be said of every other animal organism. On the other hand, man has a body. That is, man e..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/peter-l-berger-8474_again-and-again_on-the-one-hand-man-is-a-body-in-the-sam_622776.jpg"
---

#  On the one hand, man is a body, in the same way that this…

![“On the one hand, man is a body, in the same way that this may be said of every other animal organism. On the other hand, man has a body. That is, man experiences himself as an entity that is not identical with his body, but that, on the contrary, has that body at its disposal. In other words…” quote by Peter L. Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/peter-l-berger-8474_again-and-again_on-the-one-hand-man-is-a-body-in-the-sam_622776.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/peter-l-berger-8474_again-and-again_on-the-one-hand-man-is-a-body-in-the-sam_622776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/peter-l-berger-8474_again-and-again_on-the-one-hand-man-is-a-body-in-the-sam_622776.jpg)

> “On the one hand, man is a body, in the same way that this may be said of every other animal organism. On the other hand, man has a body. That is, man experiences himself as an entity that is not identical with his body, but that, on the contrary, has that body at its disposal. In other words, man's experience of himself always hovers in a balance between being and having a body, a balance that must be redressed again and again.”

[Peter L. Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-berger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Humans view themselves both as bodies they possess and as entities that use those bodies, creating a continual tension between being and having a body.

**In simple terms:** We see ourselves as both owners and users of our bodies, creating a tension.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and balance the dual perspective of embodiment.

Themes

identity embodiment philosophy selfhood

Mood

contemplative introspective

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- personal reflection
- therapy
- mindfulness practice
- ethical decision making

Key Concepts

dualism phenomenology existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your perception of your body affect your choices?
- Can you integrate both perspectives in daily life?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on either side can lead to alienation or neglect of physical needs.

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[Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Organisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organisms/)

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