Kazimierz Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration and the American Humanistic Psychology

Abstract

The author discusses the differences and similarities between Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration and the theories of the American Humanistic psychologists. All are personality growth theories; however, the philosophical assumptions underlying the theories differ. The Humanistic psychologists subscribe to eudaimonistic ethics of self‐fulfillment and happiness, whereas Dabrowski follows the Existentialists and stresses the dignity of human beings. He stresses the suffering associated with the attainment of higher levels of spiritual development. Underlying these different views on the nature of human existence may be differing assumptions about the metaphysics of evil. Theologians have discussed the metaphysics of evil since the early days of the church as the problem of theodicy. This article suggests that the American Humanistic psychologists and Dabrowski implicitly followed different theodicies. This could account for the resistance to Dabrowksi's theory in North America.