Two Humanistic Psychologies? A Response
Journal of Humanistic Psychology April 1, 1989 DOI: 10.1177/0022167889292006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 20 |
| Key points | Argues that there are two humanistic psychologies, only one of which is open to transpersonal dimensions, and defends transpersonal psychology and mysticism against charges by Rollo May and others that transpersonal experiences are unrealistic, ignore evil, or are imaginary, contending that mystical claims rest on experiential evidence as verifiable as any other experiential knowledge, including empirical science. |
Abstract
In response to certain questions raised by John Rowan (1989), Wilber suggests that there are indeed two humanistic psychologies, one of which is open to the spiritual, transcendental, or trans-personal dimensions in men and women, and one of which is not. This response includes a defense of transpersonal psychology against certain charges (notably by Rollo May) that it is, in effect, a product of unrealistic or wish-fulfillment thought, that it is out of touch with the evil side of men and women, and that "transpersonal experiences" themselves are at best imaginary. The article concludes with a defense of mysticism in general, pointing out that its claims are based on experiential evidence and thus are no more or less verifiable than any other experiential knowledge claims, including those of empirical science.