THE DISEMBODIED DIALECTIC: A Psycholanalytic Critique of Sociological Relativism.

Today there is considerable questioning of the ultimate value and viability of secular campaign against human illusions. There is skepticism concerning what author regards as the virtues of disillusion - to the point where it is wondered whether individual human existence is possible without life sustaining illusions. There clearly exist in modern culture, strong trends towards unreason and often esoteric religiosity, especially among young people. Recently sociologists have noticed one element in this trend: the theologization of psychology, whereby the secular model of the psychotherapist as a stranger and adversary promoting individual rationality and autonomy gives way to the essentially religious prototype of the psychotherapist as an advocate and lover who, as the modern heir to the roles of shaman and priest, encourages heteronomous faith and integration within a community of belief. It is author's aim in this paper to contribute to the exposure and critique of the religious uses of sociological relativism and of what might well be called the theologization of sociology.