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Beyond Reflexivity in Theoretical Psychology: From Philosophy to the Psychological Humanities

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Re-envisioning Theoretical Psychology

Abstract

The chapter suggests that theoretical psychology needs to move beyond the traditional alliance with philosophy and embrace the possibilities of the psychological humanities. Using examples from the humanities, their value for reflexivity and interference as well their significance in understanding the psychological are articulated. It is argued that this new vision for theoretical psychology does not mean to abandon, but to include and at the same time move beyond tradition. New ideas for the notion of subjectivity and intentionality are articulated, when critique and reconstruction is combined with construction. Reflexivity is understood as one task of metatheoretical reflexivity that is combined with diffraction. The argument for the relevance of the psychological humanities is contrasted with the social, political, public, and academic critique of the humanities, while conditions for the possibilities of the psychological humanities as an alternative program to the psychological sciences are debated.

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Correspondence to Thomas Teo .

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Teo, T. (2019). Beyond Reflexivity in Theoretical Psychology: From Philosophy to the Psychological Humanities. In: Teo, T. (eds) Re-envisioning Theoretical Psychology. Palgrave Studies in the Theory and History of Psychology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16762-2_11

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