Rationality within Modern Psychological Theory: Integrating Philosophy and Empirical Science

by James A. Harold Franciscan University of Steubenville

Overview

Rationality within Modern Psychological Theory examines the rational and irrational dimensions of human nature and of the psyche and logos. Harold combines the traditionally divided views of classical philosophy’s affirmation of the existence of intellect and modern psychology’s emphasis on immanent psychological factors over rational, transcendent relations. By accepting the power of being in an adequate relation to reality, while still admitting the manifold ways that people evade truth and reality, psychologists will be able to emphasize the power of an individual to establish a truthful relation with reality. This book is recommended for scholars of psychology and philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498519700
Publisher:	Lexington Books
Publication date:	06/15/2016
Pages:	206
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 6.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

James Harold is professor of philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Delimiting and Defining Terms
Chapter 2: Methods of Psychological Investigation: Introducing Lateral Self-Presence
Chapter 3: The Objective and Transcendent Dimensions of Human Nature
Chapter 4: Negative Psychology: The Influence of Rationality on Psyche
Chapter 5: Going Beyond Empiricism: The Subjective and Bodily Dimensions of Psychology
Chapter 6: Going Beyond Empiricism: The Objective and Rational Dimensions of Psychology
Chapter 7: Positive Psychology: Seligman’s Contribution
Chapter 8: The Being of the Conscious Self with its Powers of Intellect, Will, and Heart
Chapter 9: Skinner on Freedom and Causality
Chapter 10: How a Broad Metaphysical Context (Logos) Benefits Psychology
Chapter 11: Psychologism: Reducing Logos to Psyche
Chapter 12: The Psychology of Authenticity and Self-Fulfillment
Chapter 13: Nothing Secret, Nothing Hidden: How the Religious Dimension of Logos puts Human Flourishing on Steroids

Editorial Reviews

What does it mean to be a human person? This is essentially and above all a philosophical question.And so psychology as an empirical-natural science, while it can tell us a lot about the human person, cannot tell us everything, and not the most important things.We need to broaden out and expand the reach of psychology through philosophy.Here is a book that does this, a wonderful blending of psychology and philosophy by bringing the two disciplines into a fruitful and harmonious relationship with each other.A must-read for anyone interested in what it means to be a human person, a book for both psychologists and philosophers.

Stephen D. Schwarz

How we need interdisciplinary studies in our era where specialization easily leads to narrow-mindedness! Particularly, this can be so when many philosophers lack a knowledge of sound psychology and many psychologists lack a knowledge of sound philosophy. James Harold’s book, Rationality within Modern Psychological Theory: Integrating Philosophy and Empirical Science, is a masterful synthesis to overcome this syndrome. Academic enough to appeal to other professors, it is written in a style sufficiently popular to make it an ideal textbook for university students as well as for all other intelligent readers.

Ronda Chervin

Rationality withinModern Psychological Theory fully deserves careful study: Harold shows convincingly that besides many empirical methods and parts of psychology, there are important areas of this discipline that are based on logos and akin to philosophy, or even philosophical in nature. To the degree the author’s many profound yet simple and accessible insights will be accepted and integrated in psychology, one can expect a significant reform of the field: A logos-based psychology that contributes to a true understanding of happiness and acknowledges that a person can only be happy to the extent he loves and is loved. Harold sees the culmination of this fulfillment and happiness in a saint, who reaches authentic happiness, however atrocious his sufferings or martyrdom may be.

Josef M. Seifert