The Severed Roots of Psychology: Institutiones Psychologicae (Philosophia Lacensis) and Franz Brentano’s Norm Theory

Abstract

The study examines the historical development of the relationship between psychology and philosophy, with a particular focus on the role of the concept of the soul in the evolution of science. In the second half of the 19th century, psychology gradually separated itself from philosophy and turned towards the empirical sciences, leading to the marginalization of transcendental dimensions. This paper highlights the significance of scholastic psychology and the Thomistic tradition, as well as the impact of Franz Brentano’s philosophical psychology. Key topics include the intentionality of the human soul, moral cognition, and the
psychological aspects of religion. The author argues that materialist approaches in psychology fail to grasp the full essence of human existence and emphasizes the need to reintegrate spirituality into scientific thought and education.