Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961) - one of the leading representatives of phenomenological-existentialist philosophy in France. The most important part of his book "Signs" (chap. I - XI) is devoted to finding an answer to the question: what is philosophy? The first task of philosophy M. Merlo-Ponti considers the desire for a new, unknown. In his studies, the philosopher relies on Lavelle's ontological teaching, Bergson's intuitionism, Le Roy's concept of "ingenuity," Marquez's historical rationalism, Montaigne's specticism. The works, united by the title "Notes," despite the fact that they were written in 1948-1958, touch upon the most important issues of our time and will arouse special interest among the Russian reader: most of them are devoted to a critical consideration of the Marxist concept of the revolution, the communist regime, the phenomenon of Stalinism and its exposure.