Polanyi on Agency and Some Links to Macmurray (Michael Polanyi and John Macmurray) (Critical Essay‪)‬

Abstract: This essay suggests that what Michael Polanyi termed his theory of tacit knowing in his late writing can also be fairly described as an account of agency in living forms. Such an account could be useful to modern biologists, although it seems unlikely that biologists will come to appreciate Polanyi's notions about agency since they do not understand the nature of biological inquiry as Polanyi does. Polanyi weaves inextricably together his understanding of the agency of living forms and his understanding of biological inquiry. Following my discussion of Polanyi's account of agency are brief comments comparing the ideas of Michael Polanyi and John Macmurray, a contemporary of Polanyi whose mature philosophical ideas focus on agency.