Discussion Thread: What It Looks Like in Your Research Area
An objective and impartial analysis of Johnson’s (2010) quote can be
seen as valid but as omitting aspects that could be seen as fundamental
for creating what is addressed today as the “science of psychology and
the art of counseling.” Modern psychology was developed by investigating
religious virtues and separating them from their scriptural context to
facilitate a scientific analysis without biblical interpretation (Westmont
College, 2019). However, the word “fundamentally” opens room for
debate. One could argue that psychology and counseling as
fundamentally philosophical enterprises due to Augustine’s inspiration
from Plato’s philosophical practices and Aquinas’ inspiration from
Aristotle’s work (Johnson, 2010). As the two most prestigious intellectuals
in the church’s first 1,500 years, Augustine and Aquinas were greatly
inspired by the theological and psychological labor of Plato and Aristotle,
two non-Christian philosophers (Johnson, 2010).
Regarding my area of research, in a previous assignment in this
course, I realized the critical role of self-control throughout the Christian
and human history. Aware of the role of self-control in modern society as a
predictor of several positive outcomes (financial, academic, social, etc.),
my reflection on Wolter’s Grand Narrative and my topic of research………………