Lou Marinoff

Lou Marinoff
Lou Marinoff at Taplow Court, the Soka Gakkai International headquarters in the UK
Born (1951-10-18) October 18, 1951
Quebec,Canada
Academic background
Alma materConcordia University
McGill University
University College London
Academic work
School or traditionPhilosophy[1]
InstitutionsCity College of New York
Main interestsAsian Philosophy · Philosophical counseling · Philosophy of Science[2]
Notable worksPlato Not Prozac, Therapy for the Sane, The Middle Way and The Power of Dao

Lou Marinoff is a Canadian-born academic, author, and Commonwealth Scholar.[4] He is Professor of Philosophy and Asian Studies at The City College of New York[5] and founding President of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association.[6] He is known for his books, including Plato Not Prozac, Therapy for the Sane, The Middle Way and The Power of Dao, which focus on applying philosophical concepts to address everyday challenges.[7]

Biography

He was born on October 18, 1951 in Quebec.[8] Marinoff studied theoretical physics at Concordia University and McGill University before earning a doctorate in philosophy of science at University College London.[6] The title of his thesis, published in 1992, was Strategic interaction in the Prisoner's Dilemma: A game-theoretic dimension of conflict research.[9] He then went to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for post-doctoral work[10] followed by a lectureship at the University of British Columbia.[6]

Career

In 1994, he joined The City College of New York where he currently serves as Professor of Philosophy, and of Asian Studies.[6] He was also President and Executive Director of the former American Society for Philosophy Counseling and Psychotherapy, rebranded as the National Philosophical Counseling Association.[11] With Ran Lahav, he co-founded the International Conference on Philosophical Practice (ICPP) in 1994.[12][13][6] He also co-founded the American Philosophical Practitioners Association in 1998, and is the editor of its journal, Philosophical Practice.[12]

Marinoff has also collaborated with institutes and forums such as the Aspen Institute, Biovision, Festival of Thinkers, Horasis, the Institute for Local Government at the University of Arizona, Soka Gakkai International, Strategic Foresight Group, and the World Economic Forum.[6]

Work

He is known for advocating for philosophy as an alternative to traditional psychological and psychiatric therapies. Marinoff's approach centers on the belief that many issues arise not from emotional or chemical imbalances, but from philosophical uncertainties.[12] He established the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (A.P.P.A.) to legitimize and certify practitioners in the field.[14] He believes that many modern problems, such as stress, confusion, and moral dilemmas, can be addressed through philosophical reflection rather than medical or psychiatric interventions.[15]

Criticism

Lou Marinoff's work, particularly his bestselling book Plato, Not Prozac!, and his leadership in the philosophical counseling movement have been the subject of significant criticism from colleagues in philosophy and psychology. The critiques focus on philosophical inaccuracies, misrepresentation of the field, methodological concerns, and the potential for harm.

Critics have accused Marinoff of fundamental errors in his exposition of philosophical concepts and figures. Reviewer Tudor B. Munteanu describes the book as a "dubious trivialization of philosophy" and points to numerous misinterpretations, such as mislabeling Plato as a "naturalist," conflating Kant's transcendental idealism with rationalism, and providing a confused explanation of the Kantian noumenon.[16] Munteanu also notes a conflation of teleology with consequentialism and utilitarianism, which are distinct theories. Similarly, philosopher-counselor Shlomit C. Schuster highlights factual errors, such as misstating the origin of the doctrine of original sin and mischaracterizing the historical relationship between philosophy and theology as fundamentally opposed, thereby ignoring centuries of Scholastic philosophy.[17]

Psychologists Samuel Knapp and Alan C. Tjeltveit provide a critical analysis of the field, distinguishing between "narrow-scope" philosophical counseling (addressing clear ethical or worldview issues) and Marinoff's "broad-scope" practice, which claims to treat issues like depression and anxiety that are typically within the realm of psychotherapy.[18] They argue that broad-scope philosophical counseling lacks empirical evidence for its effectiveness, operates with an overly broad and simplistic definition of "philosophical problems," and fails to demonstrate that its practitioners are trained to handle the interpersonal complexities and potential psychological disorders of clients. They warn that this could lead to harm if clients with serious mental health conditions are not referred to appropriate professionals. Critics also argue against what they see as a misrepresentation of mental health. While the argument that anti-depressant prescription has been abused could be seen as reasonable, their usefulness to treat many problems including personality disorders should not be neglected.

Critics have also questioned the content of Marinoff's counseling. Schuster notes his incorporation of esoteric and New Age elements, including advising clients to consult gurus and astrologers without philosophical discrimination, and his heavy reliance on the I Ching as a therapeutic tool. Marinoff's self-characterization as a "mystical pragmatist" and comparisons of himself to Julius Caesar have been cited as evidence of self-aggrandizement.[17] His push for the licensing of philosophical practitioners and for insurance reimbursement has been controversial within the field, with some viewing it as a market-driven opportunism that contradicts the philosophical spirit of the practice.

Table Hockey

Marinoff is a three -time Canadian Open Table Hockey champion (1978, 79, 80) and US Open Champion (2015).[6]

Films

  • 2023: The Fantastic Factory of Sanity, directed by Lucas Araújo, produced by Brasil Paralelo.[19]
  • 2010: Changing Our Minds, Living Life Films, San Diego. Directed by David Sousa.
  • 2006: Way of the Puck, Creative Ape Productions, Los Angeles. Directed by Eric Anderson.
  • 2004: Table Hockey: The Movie, Triad Films, Nova Scotia. Produced by Peter d'Entrement, directed by Thor Henrikson.

Books

  • Marinoff, Lou (2024). Fernando: Beethoven of the Guitar: Books I, II & III Complete. Waterside Productions: Waterside Productions.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2022). Essays on philosophy, praxis and culture: an eclectic, provocative and prescient collection. London, New York: Anthem Press. ISBN 978-1-83998-058-9.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2021). Fernando: Beethoven of the Guitar: Book I: Youth, Celebrity, and War. Waterside Productions. ISBN 9781954968066.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2021). Fernando: Beethoven of the Guitar: Book II: Exile, Favor, & Triumph. San Diego: Waterside Productions. p. 263.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2021). Fernando: Beethoven of the Guitar: Book III: Glory, Finale, & Legacy. San Diego, CA.: Waterside Productions. p. 292.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2020). The middle way: finding happiness in a world of extremes (2nd ed.). Cardiff, CA: Waterside Productions. ISBN 978-1949001815. OCLC 148732469.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2020). Therapy for the Sane: How Philosophy Can Change Your Life. Waterside Productions. p. 435. ISBN 978-1949003871.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2019). Fair New World: A Savage Satire of Political Correctness and Radical Feminism (2nd ed.). Cardiff, CA: Waterside Productions Inc. ISBN 978-1943625581.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2019). On human conflict: the philosophical foundations of war and peace. Lanham, Maryland: Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-7105-7. OCLC 1064754617.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2018). Eloquent Sinking: A Gaspesian Tragicomedy.[20] Cardiff, CA: Waterside Productions.
  • Marinoff, Lou (2017). The Power of Dao: A Timeless Guide to Happiness and Harmony. Cardiff, CA: Waterside Productions.[21]
  • Marinoff, Lou & Ikeda, Daiskau (2012). The Inner Philosopher: Conversations on Philosophy's Transformative Power. Cambridge, MA: Dialogue Path Press.[22]
  • Marinoff, Lou (2001). Philosophical Practice. NY: Elsevier[23]
  • Marinoff, Lou (1999). Plato Not Prozac. NY: HarperCollins[24]

Edited books

See also

References

  1. ^ "Avoiding World War Three". IAI. 20 February 2024.
  2. ^ Popescu, Beatrice (30 August 2013). "Café Philosophique with Lou Marinoff". Europe's Journal of Psychology. 9 (3): 419–426. doi:10.5964/ejop.v9i3.665.
  3. ^ "Lou Marinoff – ICPP 2023". ICPP (in Romanian).
  4. ^ Romeo, Nick (23 December 2023). "When Philosophers Become Therapists". The New Yorker.
  5. ^ Faculty and Staff Profiles: Lou Marinoff. City College of New York. Accessed April 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Lou Marinoff | The City College of New York". www.ccny.cuny.edu. July 31, 2015. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  7. ^ "Lou Marinoff, Ph.D." Global Thinkers Forum.
  8. ^ ""Philosophy teaches people how to triumph over adversities of all kinds"". www.uoc.edu.
  9. ^ Marinoff, Louis Joshua (1992). Strategic interaction in the Prisoner's Dilemma: A game-theoretic dimension of conflict research (Thesis).
  10. ^ "The Socratic Shrink - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. 2015-05-28. Archived from the original on May 28, 2015. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  11. ^ "ICPP". icpp.site. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  12. ^ a b c Daniel Duane (March 21, 2004). The Socratic Shrink. The New York Times Magazine. Archived May 28, 2015.
  13. ^ "Lou Marinoff – ICPP 2023" (in Romanian). Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  14. ^ "Professor Lou Marinoff". Ducere Business School | University.
  15. ^ Ellis, Robet M. "'The Middle Way' by Lou Marinoff | Middle Way Society". Middle Way Society.
  16. ^ Munteanu, Tudor. "Review of Plato not Prozac! Applying Philosophy to Everyday Problems". Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  17. ^ a b Schuster, Shlomit C. (2004). "Marinoff's Therapy: A Critique of His Books on Philosophical Practice". International Journal of Philosophical Practice. 2 (2): 14–22. doi:10.5840/ijpp2004228.
  18. ^ Knapp, Samuel; Tjeltveit, Alan C. (October 2005). "A Review and Critical Analysis of Philosophical Counseling". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 36 (5): 558–565. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.36.5.558.
  19. ^ Cardin, Adele (26 January 2023). "'Brasil Paralelo' launches documentary 'The Fantastic Factory of Sanity' dealing with depression". The Rio Times.
  20. ^ Eloquent Sinking: A Gaspesian Tragicomedy. 2018. ISBN 978-1947637504.
  21. ^ Marinoff, Lou (2017). The Power of Dao: A Timeless Guide to Happiness and Harmony. Waterside Productions. ISBN 978-1976175299.
  22. ^ Marinoff, Lou (2012). The Inner Philosopher: Conversations on Philosophy's Transformative Power. Dialogue Path Press. ISBN 978-1887917094.
  23. ^ Marinoff, Lou (2001). Philosophical Practice. NY: Elsevier. ISBN 0124715559.
  24. ^ Marinoff, Lou (1999). Plato Not Prozac. NY: HarperCollins. ISBN 0060931361.
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