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Keynote Speech

Ego States and the Theory of Theory: The Strange Case of the Little Professor

Pages 133-147
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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This speech discusses the processes of reasoning that are entailed in the building of scientific models and sets forth some generally accepted principles of model building. The speaker emphasizes that a “good” model can only be defined in terms of its usefulness, which in turn can only be judged against the intended use of the model. A model can never be said to be “correct” or “incorrect.” In light of these principles, the speaker suggests a critique of various different versions of the ego state model.

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Ian Stewart

Ian M. T. Stewart, B.A., Ph.D., is co-director of The Berne Institute, Nottingham, England. He is a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy).