Abstract
Our starting point is an article by Uchoa Angela Branco published in 2009 in Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Sciences (vol. 43, pp. 350–355) and titled “Why Dichotomies can be Misleading while Dualities Fit the Analysis of Complex Phenomena”.
She criticizes the dualist uses of the distinction between subject and object, or between subjectivist and objectivist perspectives.
However we subscribe to the criticism, we argue that some kind of distinction between objectual and subjectual realities is
neccesary. Our argument is grounded on the classic constructivist Psychology, especially that of James Mark Baldwin’s genetic
logic. We assess two theoretical perspectives -the systemic and the structuralist ones- that, in our view, are at risk of
falling into objectivism because they tend to reduce subjectual activity to objectivistic or formalistic kinds of explanation.
Based on a critical recovery of some ideas of the French philosopher Michel Serres, we propose that subjects and objects must
be understood as interpenetrated realities in perpetual construction.
She criticizes the dualist uses of the distinction between subject and object, or between subjectivist and objectivist perspectives.
However we subscribe to the criticism, we argue that some kind of distinction between objectual and subjectual realities is
neccesary. Our argument is grounded on the classic constructivist Psychology, especially that of James Mark Baldwin’s genetic
logic. We assess two theoretical perspectives -the systemic and the structuralist ones- that, in our view, are at risk of
falling into objectivism because they tend to reduce subjectual activity to objectivistic or formalistic kinds of explanation.
Based on a critical recovery of some ideas of the French philosopher Michel Serres, we propose that subjects and objects must
be understood as interpenetrated realities in perpetual construction.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Regular Article
- Pages 1-14
- DOI 10.1007/s12124-012-9193-z
- Authors
- José C. Loredo-Narciandi, Facultad de Psicología, UNED, c/Juan del Rosal 10, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- José C. Sánchez-González, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Pza. Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Journal Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science
- Online ISSN 1936-3567
- Print ISSN 1932-4502