The Mysterious Life of the Body: A New Look at Psychosomatics

Häftad bok. Almqvist & Wiksell International. 1:a uppl. 1999. 336 sidor.

Nära nyskick. Språk: Engelska. "This book presents the first systematized philosophical analysis of psychosomatic theory collected in one volume. The author critically examines traditional psychosomatic theories, paying special attention to certain philosophical issues such as the mind-body problem and afficacious mechanisms of interaction between meaning, understood as psychosocial factors, and that which is traditionally called 'body' (the material, objectified body). The following theories are examined: psychodynamic theory from Freud onwards, authors within the field of psychosomatic medicine, stress theory and neuroimmunology/neuroendocrinology, and the work of the psychobiologist Herbert Weiner. The second part of the book being with a presentation of the French phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty. The phenomenological theory of psychosomatics is then worked out, drawing inspiration from the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty. The phenomenological theory breaks up dualistic and materialistic-reductionistic ways of thinking by starting with 'the lived body' rather than the objective body studies by natural science. The question then becomes, how is the mind-body unity lived, and what categories of understanding open up when the person-.world field becomes the focus for psychosomatic theory? This book, previously published as a doctoral dissertation, has been widely acclaimed and discussed, and is now availiable for the general public. Jennifer Bullington (PhD) has an academic background in philosophy (BA) and psychology (MA), and clinical training as a physiotherapist and body-oriented psychotherapist".