78 Nick Atlas
notion of subjective experience, which goes largely unacknowledged.
Homogenizing and, at times, inaccurate language serves to reinforce these
implicit and explicit ideologies, and alienates not only the unique,
individual experiences of readers, but also discourages disparate
perspectives. Also lacking are experiential approaches to the study of
consciousness that would otherwise serve the purpose of inspiring students
to explore their inner, psychological world rather than simply imbibing and
regurgitating second-hand information at face value.
As such, I propose a new vision for the future of psychology that
serves the integrative function of examining and rectifying the damaging
presuppositions of the dominant paradigm, while making space for a
wholistic approach that honors both objective, behavioral science and
subjective, human science. Rather than focusing exclusively on the
correlates of consciousness, which has been the norm, it is high time
psychology returns to the things themselves, and attends to the elephant in
the room—namely, the experience of consciousness itself. Such a turn will
galvanize students to enact an embodied understanding of psychology, and
will encouraging them to further the discipline fearlessly and in innovate
ways.
REFERENCES
Atlas, N. (2017). Lucid dreaming and the path to freedom: A transpersonal
phenomenological inquiry. Unpublished dissertation, University of
West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia.
Bohm, D. (1980). Wholeness and the implicate order. Boston, MA:
Routledge and Keegan Paul.
Boss, M. (1958). The analysis of dreams. New York: Philosophical
Library.
Boss, M. (1977). I dreamt last night... (S. Conway, Trans.). New York:
Gardner Press.
Boss, M. (1982). Psychoanalysis and Daseinanalysis (pp. 5-48). New
York: Da Capo.