Meinongian Psychology

Meinong’s early writings include a number of discussions that are in line with the mainstream psychological research of his time. This is not at odds with the parallel theorizing tendency of his philosophical psychology. Even after developing the theory of objects, and despite handing psychological research over to his pupils, Meinong kept thinking highly of psychology. Meinong’s psychology is in tune with his most relevant philosophical doctrines. The theory of “production” virtuously integrates that of founded objects. The manifold “dispositions” (including phantasy) and the different subjective “attitudes” (gestalt-like or analytical) lead to regular, lawful deviations from standard responses that can and should be investigated experimentally. While being an independent discipline, Meinongian psychology nevertheless fits into a full-fledged system of philosophical assumptions.