Seminar 3: Philosophical and theological perspectives

Canterbury Christchurch University
22 April 2009

Political preoccupation with emotional well-being both reflects and responds to cultural ideas about identity and about what it means to be human. It raises questions about the interplay between emotional and rational development, and the priority given to one or the other. A view that everyday experiences cause emotional distress and need psychological or therapeutic interventions reflects underlying images of a victim-ised, ‘diminished’ or ‘demoralised’ view of the human subject. Yet, optimistic images of the human subject have also long been contested in philosophy, theology and psychology, raising questions about appropriate health and educational interventions and the way in which religious education is being appropriated for emotional well-being.

Speakers

• Joshua Foa Dienstag, Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Los Angeles: 'Pessimism and Well-being'
• Martin Groves, Reader in Theology, Oxford Brookes University: 'Christianity, Therapy and Well-being: A theological critique'
• Edward Harcourt, Reader in Philosophy, University of Oxford: 'Reason, Love and Human Excellence: thoughts from philosophy and psychoanalysis'
• James Heartfield, Author of The 'Death of the Subject' Explained', Researcher, University of Westminster: 'The Death and Rebirth of the Subject?'

Working papers

The following working papers are freely available for downloading, but should not be circulated or cited without the permission of the authors.

• Dienstag, J. (2009). 'Pessimism about Well-Being'
• Groves, M. (2009). 'Christianity, Therapy and Wellbeing: A Theological Critique'
• Harcourt, E. (2009). 'Reason, Love and Human Excellence: Some thoughts from philosophy and psychoanalysis'

Relevant publications

• Augustine (1961), Confessions, tr. R S Pine-Coffin, Harmondsworth: Penguin.
• Corrywright, D. (2009). 'A New Visibility? Wellbeing Culture, Religion and Spirituality
  A paper by Dominic Corrywright, given to a follow-up seminar at Oxford Brookes University in July, 2009.
• Cottingham, J. (2005), The Spiritual Dimension: Religion, Philosophy and Human Value Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (chapters 1 and 4).
• Dienstag, J. (2006), Pessimism: Philosophy, Ethic, Spirit, Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press. (chapter 1)
• Freud, S. Civilisation and its Discontent, SE 21, (pp.59-145, especially section 2).
• Freud, S. and Breuer, J. (1895) Studies in Hysteria, Standard Edition of the Complete Works of Freud, tr. J. Strachey, Volume 2, London: Hogarth Press (pp.304-05).
• Hadot, P. ([1987]1995) Philosophy as a Way of Life, trans. A. I. Davidson, Oxford: Blackwell (chapter 3).
• Heartfield, J. (2001) The 'Death of the Subject' Explained, Sheffield: Sheffield Hallam University.
• Lake, F. (1966) Clinical Theology: A Theological and Psychiatric Basis to Clinical Pastoral Care, London: Darton, Longman & Todd
• Layard, R. (2005), Happiness: Lessons from a New Science, Harmondsworth: Penguin.
• Malik, K. (2000) Man, Beast or Zombie, London: Weidenfield.
• Nussbaum, M. (1994) The Therapy of Desire: Theory and Practice in Hellenistic Ethics, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press (chapters 1 and 13).
• Wittgenstein, L. (1996) Lectures and Conversations on Aesthetics, Psychology and Religious Belief, Oxford: Blackwell (pp.22-27).