Reason, fantasy and moral responsibility: a psycho-philosophical motif in the work of John Wilson

A constantly reworked theme in the work of John Wilson is that of some iden tity or overlap of (psycho) therapeutic concerns with those of more convent ional learning and education: (some) instances of therapy are held to coinc ide with (some) instances of education a propos the alleviation of what he generally calls "fantasies". In an early celebrated article, Wilson casts c ertain aspects of education as such in this therapeutic role, but in later work it is philosophical education which is credited with this function. Th e present appreciation of Wilson's treatment of these crucial issues, howev er, warns against the potentially problematic consequences of any such blur ring of distinctions between education and therapy (or agent and patient). The paper also argues that Wilson's rather colonial deployment of the term "fantasy" may militate against the recognition of legitimate value diversit y.