Problems in Dynamic Psychology: A Critique of Psychoanalysis, and Suggested Formulations (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

John Thompson Maccurdy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1330260805 ISBN 13: 9781330260807

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2019

Synopsis

Excerpt from Problems in Dynamic Psychology: A Critique of Psychoanalysis, and Suggested Formulations

The question as to what this system really is has become each year more pressing, while a number of factors have contributed to obscure the problem. Four of them are important. The first is that psy choanalysis has never been formally taught but has been learned in the main by independent observa tions of men originally inspired by the scattered and unconnected writings of Freud and his immediate followers. Each of these workers has tended to give his own meaning to the terms in common use and often to invent new ones. The second factor is of still greater importance from a scientific standpoint. In any single analysis observation is not made of mental reactions occurring with complete spontane ity in the patient examined but is most often of reactions definitely stimulated by the observer him self. The subjective factor - the personal equation -has, therefore, to be considered as an element in the results obtained to a degree that is not met in other kinds of scientific enquiry. The third difiiculty belongs more properly to the material than to the method. Theoretically, psychoanalysis aims at an investigation of the patient's entire life, a task which is practically impossible of completion. Con sequently the analyst must make a selection, and this is apt to be made on a basis of personal bias.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

About this title

Product Description

Excerpt from Problems in Dynamic Psychology: A Critique of Psychoanalysis, and Suggested Formulations It is only fair to warn the prospective reader of what is before him. This book is not a systematic treatise on psychopathology or psychoanalysis but, rather, a discussion of some of the fundamental problems which must be solved before our knowledge in this field may be accurately systematized. Limitations of space have forced me to omit description of phenomena and to confine myself to exposition of the hypotheses put forward to correlate these phenomena. Some knowledge of psychopathology is therefore necessary for proper understanding of the text, particularly of Part I, which (with the exception of some pages in the chapter on dreams) is purely critical. This knowledge, however, is already possessed by many laymen who have read the current popular literature in this field. Dynamic psychology is a useful term which covers the study of instincts, motives, emotions and imaginative (or "autistic") thinking as opposed to the more static functions of attention, perception, memory and similar conscious, logical processes. A rough analogy may make this discrimination clearer. One could observe the various mechanisms in an automobile, see how the pistons turn the crank shaft, how the transmission acts, what the differential does and so on. But all this would throw no light on what makes the engine go. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remai

Book Description

Originally published in 1923, this book provides a discussion of aspects of psychoanalysis and puts forward solutions for various problems in the field. It is divided into four main parts: 'Freudian Formulations'; 'The Relationship of Psychoanalysis and Suggestion'; 'The Preconscious Phase'; 'Instincts and their Manifestations'.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1330260805
• ISBN 13: 9781330260807
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 401