The Trans/Trans Fallacy and the Dichotomy Debate

Abstract

This paper presents an integration of transpersonal structural theory. It is claimed that a “dichotomy debate” is currently taking place within transpersonal psychology, which involves what Wilber has called the “pre/trans fallacy” (1993) and the “ascender/descender debate” (1995). The pre/trans fallacy states that early, prepersonal life experiences are confused for transpersonal experiences of higher consciousness. Yet Grof (1985, 2000) and Washburn (1995) contend that early, prenatal, life experiences are legitimate sources of transpersonal experience, and can be thought of as the presence of deeper consciousness. Consequently, it is suggested that confusing prepersonal life experiences for prenatal life experiences—as well as preferring higher stages over deeper stages of transpersonal consciousness—commits the “trans/trans fallacy.” Finally, it is claimed that Avatar Adi Da’s (1997, McDonnell, 1997) spiritual revelation provides the missing link whereby transpersonal structural theory can be integrated: the “conjoining” of the prenatal and prepersonal selves.