Panel #2: “The Ethical Foundations of Human Freedom”

This panel will take up the topic of ethics and power dynamics in groups and relationships as they impact human freedom and enlightenment. What are the ethical underpinnings of psychoanalysis and Buddhist practice and how do they relate to liberation or freedom from suffering? There will be an emphasis on how and why trust can break down in the therapist-patient relationship, the teacher-student relationship, and the communities of psychoanalysts and Buddhist teachers. After trust has been broken, how can it be repaired? With the tendency of psychoanalytic communities to fracture based on the “narcissism of small differences,” and the tendency of Buddhist communities to produce “insider-outsider” dynamics, we will raise questions about how ethics interact with our abilities to be honest, kind, and open-hearted with our colleagues.

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