Copying and Coping Conceptualizations of Language: Counseling and the Ethic of Appreciation for Human Differences

The author takes the position that the foundational value of the counseling profession is an ethic of appreciation for human differences. The professional tool that is used to actualize this value is language. In this regard, the philosophical distinction between copying and coping conceptualizations of language is overviewed. The author argues that the value of the counseling profession is optimally actualized when a coping conceptualization of language is adopted. Implications for current ideological movements and the future of the profession are discussed.