★★★★★ 5
A good psychology helps you to be good
Format: Paperback
Modern psychology is still in its infancy, being more art than science. A Catholic Christian Meta-Model of the Person by Paul C Vitz and other authors is a breakthrough achievement in advancing psychology in both theory in practice in that it uses Catholic theology and philosophy to ennoble psychology.
This book contains many insights into human nature, such as:
Worldviews and values systems, be they implicit or explicit, influence every theoretical reflection and interpersonal interaction. The Catholic worldview and value system is wider than any of the many partial theories currently existing the psychological and mental health field. Most secular psychologies are based on materialist, reductionist worldview that considers man as just a material animal. The Catholic view of man is that he is a unity of spiritual soul and material body, so it is a more comprehensive and accurate conception of human nature. Note that even so-called facts are always understood in terms of our worldview [Worldviews and value systems have a strong influence on your thoughts and on your actions. Since the Catholic worldview is more comprehensive and deeper than the worldviews used in most schools of psychology, a Catholic psychology is superior to secular psychologies.]
Pope Benedict XVI wrote that people recognize the good only when they themselves do it. They recognize evil only when they do not do it [People generally do not knowing do evil; rather, they rationalize that the evil they are doing is actually good. Doing evil reduces one’s ability to recognize evil.]
What causes human suffering? Suffering is rooted in human experiences of physical pain, moral evil, psychological disorder, relational losses and conflicts, and spiritual trials. It is also rooted in the lack of hope, joy, or flourishing. Much personal suffering is caused by a lack of purpose and fulfillment. Such suffering can be insignificant or unceasing. It can be trivial or salvific. No matter how suffering is understood, hope or despair makes the difference in what is bearable. [Catholic psychology offers hope, which makes suffering bearable.]
The Catholic model of the person presupposes that flourishing, beatitude and joy constitute the deepest reality and provident goal of human life. This goal can be experienced in part at present and in full at the end of time. Hope, both natural and ultimate (theological) hope, is foundational. Even in the midst of inevitable spiritual suffering, psychological distress and physical death, this teleological perspective on suffering helps to explain why experiences of languishing are repugnant to our deepest desire for flourishing: instead of longing for material goods, the Catholic model offers longings for true goods, such as existence and life; harmonious marriage, family, and social relations; truth and beauty; and ultimately, communion with God. [The Catholic model offers patients goods such as truth, beauty and God, which secular psychology ignores.]
The simple lack of many of these goods (or a distorted search for them) is often the cause of suffering, despair, loneliness and anxiety. When humans pursue goods in a disordered way, even attempts to remedy human pain, suffering and languishing can become ineffective. For instance, self-preservation, pleasure, and marital relations are real goods to be desired, sought and enjoyed. These goods, however, are not ultimate goods. A disordered approach for these goods (trying to make ultimate what is not) causes further types of suffering [Seeking worldly goods causes further suffering. Only ultimate goods offer a joy that cures suffering.]
Men are called to goodness. Through a calling or vocation, each person is attracted to and perfected through existence (being), truth (knowledge), goodness (love), relationship (family, friends, and society, and beauty (integrity, ordering and clarity). [Human happiness comes from human flourishing - human perfection - and flourishing comes from living, health, knowledge, goodness, friends and beauty. To truly flourish, humans need beauty, which means art and music.]
There is now an enormous amount of psychological evidence for the importance of relationships in the formation of the person. Relationships are essential for basic human existence and development. A newborn child who lacks a mothering relationship with another human will die, even if its physical needs are met. A person learns to speak through loving relationships that begin in the first weeks after birth, when the infant first listens to its mother’s voice. Language-learning requires relationships, and is foundational to the human person. [Man is the rational, social animal. Man’s essence and purpose is to have good relationships with other human beings. This is why people are more important than things. Man is not just the rational animal, man is the rational, spiritual, passionate, philosophical, purposeful, social, moral, free, aesthetic, creative, loving, sacred, religious and fallen (prone to sin and evil) animal who seeks happiness.]
The above excepts are just a few of the many profound insights that can be found in this masterpiece of modern psychology. This proposed Catholic psychology helps heal the soul, which secular psychology ignores, and which is why this book is so necessary.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2021
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