The Curative Powers of Witchcraft: A Concise Defense of Humanism in Psychotherapy Pubblico

Abstract

Psychology has historically been divided between naturalism and humanism, a trend that continues today. Based on ideological differences about the character of valuable psychological investigation, naturalism favors strict causal explanations, while humanism is receptive to psychological explanations that derive more theoretically or insightfully but may not lend well to qualitative measurement. Rather than considering these competing ideologies merely abstractly, this work argues that contribution to mental healthcare should factor significantly in the perceived value of any psychological theory. From this perspective, I attempt to establish a greater appreciation for what should be a balance between naturalism and humanism in an age when naturalism is eclipsing humanism in academic and clinical psychological spheres. Such a balance should be based not on sheer ideology but also on pragmatic considerations about which approach treats particular psychological concerns best. To further this establishment, I first examine the most extreme outlook for naturalist psychology, namely the reduction of psychology to neuroscience. By illustrating the general deficiencies of that approach, I then turn to a discussion on the importance of including existential outlooks in certain therapeutic situations and the relative deficiency of naturalist approaches that ignore these outlooks. Focusing the discussion on existential concerns and the desirability of a humanistic therapeutic approach to them will hopefully function as an "existence proof" of humanism's importance for psychology overall.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER ONE 4
1.1 THE NATURE OF PSYCHOTHERAPY 4
1.2 THE PROCRUSTEAN BED OF NATURALISTIC PSYCHOLOGY 5
1.3 ON THE CHURCHLANDS' ELIMINATIVE MATERIALISM 9
1.4 CONNECTIONISM 13
1.5 OBJECTIONS TO EM AND FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS 15
1.6 AGAINST A PREMATURE REJECTION OF FOLK PSYCHOLOGY 23
CHAPTER TWO 26
2.1 ALLEN'S MEANINGLESS UNIVERSE 26
2.2 THE CHILLY WIND OF HUMAN FINITUDE 27
2.3 CLINICAL APPROACHES TO EXISTENTIAL CONCERNS 29
2.4 TERROR MANAGEMENT 34
2.5 DEPRESSIVE REALISM AND THE NEED FOR PHENOMENOLOGY 38
2.6 RETHINKING REDUCTIONISM 40
CHAPTER THREE 42
3.1 REVISITING LOGOTHERAPY 42
3.2 A CONTAINED SEARCH FOR MEANING 46
3.3 JAMES AND BROADENING THE LOGOTHERAPEUTIC METHOD 49
3.4 POST-DURKHEIMIAN URGENCY 54
3.5 THE CALM OF FAITH 56
CONCLUSION 61
REFERENCES 64

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Philosophy
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Philosophy Psychology, General
Parola chiave	philosophy psychotherapy humanism psychology existentialism
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Flynn, Thomas R, Emory University
Committee Members	Carr, David, Emory University Snarey, John, Emory University McCauley, Robert, Emory University

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