Freedom and idealism in Mary Whiton Calkins

This paper explores Calkins’ absolute idealism and its ramifications for libertarian free will. Calkins’ metaphysics is a version of absolute idealism, according to which the absolute is a person who has everything else as either a part or an aspect. Three different arguments for the conclusion that Calkins’ metaphysics is incompatible with libertarian freewill are formulated and critically assessed. Finally, I assess the extent to which these arguments are independent of each other.     

The Feminist Pacifism of William James and Mary Whiton Calkins

In this paper, I accompany William James (1842–1910) and Mary Whiton Calkins (1863–1930) in the steps each takes toward his or her respective proposal of a moral equivalent of war. I demonstrate the influence of James upon Calkins, suggesting that the two share overlapping formulations of the problem and offer closely related—but significantly different—solutions. I suggest that Calkins's pacifistic proposal is an extension of that of her teacher—a feminist interpretation of his psychological and moral thought as brought to bear on the problem of war. Calkins's brand of pacifism widens the scope of James's “moral equivalent of war” in a way that is consonant with feminist ideals of inclusiveness and social justice. I conclude by commenting on how James's and Calkins's pacifism can continue to be extended fruitfully in contemporary feminist pacifist theory and practice.     

The moral of her story: exploring the philosophical and religious commitments in Mary Whiton Calkins' self-psychology

Over the course of 3 decades, from the turn of the century to the late 1920s, Mary Whiton Calkins articulated and defended a system of self-psychology that held that psychology as a field should be organized as the science of selves. Calkins' system was far from popular at the time, which leads one to question why she persisted in dedicating herself to the cause of defending it. Previous research has sought answers to this question through examination of Calkins' experience as a faculty member at Wellesley College. In this article it is additonally argued that Calkins was not prepared to abandon her system of self-psychology because it was intricately connected to her ideas about ethics and morality.     

Psychoanalysis in America: 1930-1939

During the 1930's in the United States the organizational structure for the growth of psychoanalysis was established: new institutes, requirements for membership, standards for training, and professional journals. As psychoanalysis in Europe was being destroyed by the Nazis, many emigree psychoanalysts found refuge here and were integrated into the development of psychoanalysis in America.     

Research in psychoanalytic therapy 1930-1990]

The author provides a survey of three phases of psychoanalytic therapy research, each one is being characterized by its most important representatives and their contributions. The first phase (1930-1970) sought in essence to justify, i.e. to prove, that analytical therapies are useful. The second phase (1960-1980) was dedicated to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the course of therapy and its results. The third phase, finally, can be identified as a thorough and detailed inquiry into the analytical process.     

Watson's behaviorism: a comparison of the two editions (1925 and 1930)

J.B. Watson's Behaviorism, a complete presentation of the mature psychological points of view of its author, had 2 editions, in 1925 and 1930, which presented significant differences in their texts. Although Watson maximized such variations, to the point of considering the 2nd edition as nearly a brand-new book, both suppressions and additions reveal his feelings when presenting his ideas to a general audience. Such variations are here presented through an in-depth analysis.