History: Philosophical Underpinnings

By definition, psychology means the study of the psyche or mind. Clinical psychological science applies scientific theories and methods to understand adaptive and maladaptive functioning, to prevent and alleviate human suffering, and to promote human adjustment and personal development. Psychological thought has always centered on three fundamental questions: (1) How do I know the things I know? (2) How do I feel the things I feel? (3) How do I do the things I do? This entry focuses on the philosophical underpinnings of the field of clinical psychology. Because clinical psychology is an intrinsic part of the broad field of psychology, what is considered here applies to nonclinical domains as well.

Approaching the History of Psychological Thought in Context

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