Abstract

The case studies we present in this article are from an Institutional Review Board approved research project conducted at the State University of New York College at Cortland, in May through November 2008. Our IRB supported research in philosophical practice is the first of its kind. It was entitled “Philosophical Counseling: Case Studies and Their Implications.” Our research question was“Does talking to a trained philosopher help people resolve life issues?” We concluded that most of our clients benefited from philosophical counseling and that we should continue to offer it as an element in our philosophical outreach.Realizing that it was necessary to preclude or overcome potential resistance from IRB members who had never heard of philosophical practice, we took on the task of educating them. This was not a formidable undertaking because [co-author] Andrew Fitz-Gibbon was the professional ethicist sitting on the IRB itself. Thus he had gained credibility through his association with board members, and he was able to engage in informal conversations with them. Our proposal began with the definition of philosophical practice used by APPA and suggested by Lou Marinoff:Philosophical practice is a relatively new field, though its roots are deep in the philosophical tradition. Philosophical counseling is intended for clients who are rational, functional, and not mentally ill, but who can benefit from philosophical assistance in resolving or managing problems associated with normal life experience