ABSTRACT
For the purpose of inviting a new perspective to the debate of multiculturalism, I would like to present an account of what it is like to live in a multicultural society. This account is not from a personal or political perspective, but rather a description of two concepts (indeterminacy and embodiment) that are found in Helmuth Plessner’s philosophical anthropology and political philosophy. These concepts highlight the aspects of subjectivity, intersubjectivity and culture, all of which are important when one wishes to investigate the tensions, problems and possibilities that arise in multicultural societies. They can help us understand why living in a multicultural society can be a liberating experience for some, while it can also cause anxiety to others, which then can lead people to change their attitude towards others from being open to becoming more defensive and exclusive. The key concepts in the following account are indeterminacy and embodiment. I took both concepts from Plessner’s work, and in this paper I will first briefly put these concepts in the context of Plessner’s own work and time, and subsequently make some suggestions as to how they will help us give an account of what it is like to live in our own time and society.
