Navigating the Wake(s) of Loss: How Philosophy Can Help Us Grieve
Marisa Diaz-Waian, International Journal of Applied Philosophy 28:1 (2014): 19-48.
ABSTRACT: How might approaching loss philosophically help us grieve? What does it mean to approach something philosophically? Why might such an approach be advantageous to studies of grief? In my paper, I discuss the abovementioned queries (focusing primarily on methods most commonly, though not exclusively, associated with the analytic tradition) and offer an example of how philosophy has helped me navigate the wakes of loss faced with respect to the passing of my father. In the process, I discuss the field of philosophical counseling (in general), a specific brand of practice advanced by Dr. Elliot D. Cohen, and offer a brief account of the basic tenets and steps of its leading modality, Logic-Based Therapy (LBT).
NOTE: This article was written in conjunction with research relative to the author’s work with the National Philosophical Counseling Association and The Institute of Critical Thinking. It is available for download here by permission of the author, the Philosophy Documentation Center, and the International Journal of Applied Philosophy.
