One of the most original and creative French philosophers, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, who died 50 years ago, still remains to be discovered by contemporary readers. In his philosophical endeavour he developed a thought-provoking conception. Merleau-Ponty was one of the leading figures of the phenomenological movement. In the paper the author would like to draw the readers’ attention to some of his illuminating ideas. The paper mainly focuses on the first period of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophical development in which this outstanding French philosopher elaborated on a still valid idea concerning human action and the mind-body relation.