Psychology and ontology: foundations for a critical reflection on the production of knowledge

Abstract

We discuss scientific practice in psychology and present theoretical elements that allow an ontological critique of this field. We argue that the production of knowledge in psychology lacks an ontological conception of society, human action and the production of knowledge, relegating investigation and debate about the very nature of the object that science examines. We conclude by stating that this position results in further differences between the different schools of psychology, notably of object and method, and that a deeper analysis is needed in order to uncover the conception of human being underlying the different schools, criticizing it in view of the concrete subject that is dealt with in different social contexts.