SPECIAL LECTURE SERIES
CAPA offers special lectures, seminars and courses for students, graduates, and members. A variety of topics will be covered by distinguished members of CAPA's faculty. Upon completion of the Special Lecture Series lecture, seminar or course, student and graduate participants will receive a certification of participation.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of CAPA.
Title: The Philosophy of Wittgenstein: Implications for Psychoanalysis
Presenter: John Maier, M.S.W., Ph.D.
US Seminar Dates: Friday, June 5 and June 12, 2026
US Seminar Times: 9am – 10:30am (US Eastern Time)
China Seminar Dates: Friday, June 5 and June 12, 2026
China Seminar Times: 9pm – 10:30pm (21:00 – 22:30 Beijing Time)
Prerequisites: All CAPA members, students and graduates
Course size: Open
Description: The work of Ludwig Wittgenstein constitutes a landmark of 20th-century philosophy. In his later work, Wittgenstein develops a genuinely novel conception of language and the mind that has had a profound influence on subsequent thinkers. Wittgenstein also has a lifelong fascination with the work of his compatriot Sigmund Freud, and many have noted the similarities between Wittgenstein's methods and those of psychoanalysis. This seminar will give a brief introduction to Wittgenstein's later philosophy with special attention to his views on language, psychology, and method. We will then consider contemporary work that explores the implications of Wittgenstein's work for clinical practice. In addition to the intrinsic interest of Wittgenstein, this seminar may be thought of as a case study in what it means to approach the project of psychoanalytic psychotherapy in a philosophical way.
Course Objective:
Understand the basic elements of Wittgenstein's later philosophy
Become familiar with contemporary work on Wittgenstein's relevance to psychoanalysis
Learn the significance of philosophical approaches to psychoanalysis
Acquire an understanding of bringing philosophical approaches to bear on clinical work
Bio: John T. Maier is a psychotherapist in private practice in Cambridge, MA. He trained in community mental health, working primarily with individuals with psychosis. He has also held several academic positions in philosophy, and was previously Associate Professor of Philosophy at Peking University. He is the author of books on agency (Options and Agency, 2022) and addiction (The Disabled Will, 2024), as well as a number of articles on language, metaphysics, and the philosophy of mental health.
If you have any questions about the seminar, please contact Dr. Maier directly at john@jmaier.net.