The Philosophical Significance of Kohut's Theory of the Self

Abstract

The author seeks to articulate the philosophical significance of Heinz Kohut's original theory of the self by showing (a) how it explains the basis of our ability to create and be motivated by personal ideals; (b) how it transforms our understanding of ethical life by showing why it is in one's self-interest to become an empathic, respectful person who embodies the moral virtues as articulated by Aristotle; and (c) how it reverberates with profound insights into what it means to be human by some of the most esteemed philosophers in the Western philosophic tradition, especially Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, and Nietzsche. The author concludes by critically responding to the intersubjectivist critique of Stolorow and Atwood that Kohut's notion of “self” is a reified, metaphysical concept.

Sameness and Solidarity in the Supervisory Environment

“…In contrast, acknowledging life's transience and fragility helps to generate significant questions about the meaning of past events and the purpose and direction of our current positions and actions. Furthermore, this acknowledgment helps us choose authentic actions and construct a sober understanding of the vicissitudes of life that leads to a realistic psychic organization (Akhtar, 2011; de Vogelfanger, 2020; Riker, 2021). It also helps us understand that the inevitable growing limitations and losses, due to aging, are derived from the greatest limitation: our mortality (Colarusso & Nemiroff, 1981).…”