An Essay Concerning the Possibility of a Unified Theory of Counseling

Authors

Lance Kair, Regis University, Department of Counseling, Division of Counseling and Family Therapy, Rueckert-Hartman College of Health ProfessionsFollow

Abstract

The Object-Oriented Ontology of Graham Harman, also known as Object-Oriented Philosophy, presumes to describe an ontology of all objects, including human beings. This essay shows how the discipline of counseling can benefit from such an ontology of objects. To move into this particular case of an Object-Oriented Ontology of human beings, and to distinguish, initially, at least, between the object that we are now concerned with, or will be soon, and the universe of subjectivity, I propose that we refer to universal objects, which is to indicate objects that exist in the universe, however we might define it. In this universal sense, we must take a step into the object that is the subject by removing obstacles which will hinder discussion along object ontological lines. The epistemological obstacles which get in the way of a discussion of the object of the subject may include (1) the science of the mind, or psychology, and what I shall term (2) conventional philosophy under which a sort of regular understanding of phenomenology is organized, which is to say the general philosophical tradition which has developed around the ontology of the subject, the subject of reason, knowledge and discourse. We will see going forward, for a unified theory of counseling, though, that the phenomenology of mind is the most pertinent obstacle.

Recommended Citation

Kair, Lance (2020) "An Essay Concerning the Possibility of a Unified Theory of Counseling," Counseling and Family Therapy Scholarship Review: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53309/FHUR1545
Available at: https://epublications.regis.edu/cftsr/vol3/iss1/4