The last decade of the century has witnessed the widespread of two new epistemological trends in ... more The last decade of the century has witnessed the widespread of two new epistemological trends in psychotherapy-although their roots had already been familiar since long ago. Constructivism and Constructionism are opposed to a realistic, positivistic or simplified vision of knowledge as justified through «method», «reality» or «the nature of things». However, proposals of each trend are quite different and, sometimes, incompatible. Briefly, the criticisms held by the construccionists against constructivism can be resumed in: 1) the theory of meaning and language, 2) the theory of emotions and 3) the nature of the «self». These topics are intertwined in multiple levels, making these distinctions purely methodological; and create also the basis for wider questions about the political status of the institution of psychotherapy. An alternative view holds that construccionist claims are consistent with constructivist ones, until the point that their very differences are sustained, partly at least, in the lack of dialogue among both. This article reflects that dialogue, hoping that both ends of the slack rope will, this way, come together again.
The last decade of the century has witnessed the widespread of two new epistemological trends in ... more The last decade of the century has witnessed the widespread of two new epistemological trends in psychotherapy-although their roots had already been familiar since long ago. Constructivism and Constructionism are opposed to a realistic, positivistic or simplified vision of knowledge as justified through «method», «reality» or «the nature of things». However, proposals of each trend are quite different and, sometimes, incompatible. Briefly, the criticisms held by the construccionists against constructivism can be resumed in: 1) the theory of meaning and language, 2) the theory of emotions and 3) the nature of the «self». These topics are intertwined in multiple levels, making these distinctions purely methodological; and create also the basis for wider questions about the political status of the institution of psychotherapy. An alternative view holds that construccionist claims are consistent with constructivist ones, until the point that their very differences are sustained, partly at least, in the lack of dialogue among both. This article reflects that dialogue, hoping that both ends of the slack rope will, this way, come together again.
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