Universität zu Köln

Wendler, Hannes ORCID: 0000-0001-5790-7664 (2026). Désordre du Coeur. Theoretical Foundations and Clinical Conceptualizations of Axiological Psychopathology. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

What is axiological psychopathology? The term itself indicates a conjunction of axiology, that is, the theory of values (from Greek ἀξία, “axía,” meaning “value”), and psychopathology, that is, the study of mental disorders (from Greek παθος, “pathos,” meaning “suffering”, “illness”, or “affliction”). One of its basic concepts is that of a disorder of value (“Wertstörung”; sometimes also referred to as value-blindness). This concept corresponds to the finding that the ways of relating to values and disvalues can become modified in psychopathology—for example, a partial insensitivity to certain classes of values in depression, or the construction of idiosyncratic value systems in schizophrenia. Beyond the axiological description of nosological categories, the axiological approach also addresses psychopathology at the level of philosophy of science. In this context, the scientific status and applicability of psychopathological categories are examined. Furthermore, a value-theoretical framing of fundamental psychopathological concepts (such as disorder or health) is proposed. My agenda is to establish axiology as a foundational discourse for psychopathology. I operate from a perspective of maximalism, meaning that I envision a framework that bridges between philosophy, science, and practice. An axiological foundation for psychopathology promises to address philosophical questions of ultimate justification and ontological categories, scientific concerns of exact measurement and causal explanation, as well as the practical ssue of guiding action in diverse clinical situations. Tackling the challenge of re-actualizing and applying phenomenological value ethics, the axiological perspective is modified and corrected according to the critiques offered by competing approaches to ethics, mostly existentialism and the philosophy of alterity. Within the domain of axiological research, the systematic consideration of disvalues and disorder can be considered a trademark of my approach and contrasted with the field’s common bias towards values and order.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Wendler, Hannes wendler@phi-psy.de https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5790-7664 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-805613
Date:	2026
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Divisions:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Fächergruppe 8: Philosophie (Philosophisches Seminar) > Philosophisches Seminar > Husserl-Archiv > Professur für Phänomenologie und Anthropologie
Subjects:	Philosophy Psychology Medical sciences Medicine
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Scheler, Hartmann, von Hildebrand, Cusinato, Schneider, Frankl, Logotherapy, Psychoanalysis, Humanistic Psychotherapy, Psychopathology, Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Clinical Philosophy, Axiology, Value Theory, Phenomenological Ethics, Enactivism English
Date of oral exam:	24 June 2026
Referee:	Name Academic Title Breyer, Thiemo Prof. Fuchs, Thomas Prof. Nordgaard, Julie Prof.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/80561