Philosophical Foundations of Transpersonal Psychology: an Introduction to Some Basic Issues

In this essay, I want to provide some of the groundwork for an articulation of the philosophical foundations of transpersonal psychology. I will first show the centrality of the theory of a "hierarchical ontology" in transpersonal work, and the need for clarification and examination of the core claims associated with such a theory. Then I will identify some basic objections to a hierarchical ontology associated with three main approaches in contemporary philosophy. Finally, I willsuggest the outlines of a response to and resolution of these main objections. My thesis is that these objections are misguided when directed against the most profound aspects of hierarchical ontologies, but that taking the objections seriously can be helpful if the objections are re-interpreted as pointing to typical distortions of transpersonal approaches. Hence, it is important to appropriate insights into such distortions while transcending the typically reductionistic conclusions and limited frameworks associated with such objections, thus expressing transpersona] insights more clearly in a fullycontemporary manner.