Psychology and Nihilism : A Genealogical Critique of the Computational Model of Mind (Suny series in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences)

Reveals its hidden nihilistic assumptions and proposes a richer vision of human thought grounded in lived experience and "transfigurative rationality." In an age increasingly defined by technocratic thinking and mechanistic models of the mind, Psychology and Nihilism challenges the very foundations of modern cognitive psychology. Drawing deeply on Nietzsche’s concept of the "last man" and the pervasive influence of nihilism, Fred Evans argues that contemporary psychology rests on hidden assumptions it cannot escape—among them, tacit understanding, lived experience, and our embeddedness in a meaningful world. Through a powerful synthesis of philosophy and psychological theory, Evans reveals how dominant models of cognition—rooted in computation, abstraction, and control—risk reducing human beings to lifeless systems, stripped of creativity, ambiguity, and depth. Yet this is not merely a critique. Evans advances a bold alternative: a vision of "transfigurative rationality," one that transcends narrow technocratic limits and reclaims the richness of human thought, language, and perception. Engaging with figures across philosophy, literature, and social theory, Psychology and Nihilism bridges the divide between psychology and philosophy, exposing the philosophical stakes hidden within scientific claims about the mind. It invites readers to reconsider what it means to think, to speak, and ultimately, to be human. Ambitious, incisive, and deeply original, this book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand—and move beyond—the intellectual currents shaping our modern conception of the self.（State University of New York Press）