THERAPY AS THEORY AND AS CIVICS

The conventional wisdom is that the therapeutic enterprise is 'value-n eutral', not impelled by any moral agenda, and intended chiefly to ren der its beneficiaries more successful in attaining what they desire. I argue in the present article that, were this the case, there could be nothing therapeutic in the undertaking; further, that one should be a ssisted in attaining what should be desirable, but what may not, in th e given case, be desired. The form of Life that realizes the most auth entic aspects of our humanity is of an essentially civic nature, and i t is fitness for this form of life that should guide therapeutic endea vors.