Psychologist of religion, ethicist, theological psychologist, cultural critic, philosophical anthropologist, marriage and family expert, practical theologian, and religion and law scholar—these are some of the many labels one could use to describe the history of Don Browning’s work. Yet in spite of the multi-faceted nature of Browning’s work, abiding themes and central concerns consistently emerge. Perhaps the title which best describes Browning’s noteworthy contributions is that of “horizon analyst.” Browning is always at his best when helping us see the world of implicit assumptions and normative images that govern various perspectives. He has an eye for metaphors which, as his mentor Ricoeur famously said, give rise to thought.
Perhaps Browning’s greatest academic asset has been his ability to explore the philosophical underpinnings of various psychological theories. This book focuses on Browning’s rich investigative journey into Freud’s dual instinct model, the relationship between human biology and culture, evolutionary psychology, William James’s instinctual pluralism, Erik Erikson’s notion of generativity, the ethical implications of self-actualization in the humanistic psychologies of Rogers and Maslow, evil and self-realization in Carl Jung, the place of self-injury in the thought of Heinz Kohut, as well as other issues. Beginning with a discussion of Browning’s critical hermeneutical approach, heavily influenced by Gadamer, Ricoeur, and David Tracy, this book systematically explores Browning’s critical assessments of the most significant contemporary psychological movements.