The foundations of psychoanalysis : a philosophical critique

325 Pages·1984·17.54 MB·English

by  Freud Sigmund

"With this book Adolf Grnbaum has established himself as the most
important philosophical critic of the hermeneutic conception not only of
psychoanalysis but also of the social sciences, most especially sociology
and anthropology. His criticism of the logical and methodological foun-
dations of this style of research and theorizing is masterful and, in my
view, definitive."—Melford Spiro
"Grünbaum's book is a tour de force. The depth and breadth of his
knowledge of psychoanalytic literature in general, and of Freud's works
in particular, are most impressive."
—Judd Marmor, The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
"Adolf Grünbaum, in an indisputable philosophical tour de force, has
swept away the Popperian and hermeneutic mythologies about Freudian
theory and has substituted a methodological critique of his own that caps
the revisionist assessment of Freud."—Frank ]. Sulloway, Free Inquiry
"Grünbaum's contribution in ... psychoanalytic epistemology... is un-
paralleled on . . .[two] counts. Not only does he bring to bear a very great
sophistication in the philosophy of science but, in addition, he has done
his psychoanalytic homework."—Barbara von Eckardt, Beyond Freud
"An absolutely essential critique of psychoanalysis. . . .It goes to the
roots of psychoanalysis in a manner which other philosophers. . .have
tried to do, but have conspicuously failed to achieve. . . . A brilliant book
. . . the most important discussion of the topic to be found in the literature."
—HansJ. Eysenck, Behaviour Research & Therapy
"His book spells the end of some psychoanalytic pretensions and, at
the same time represents a constructive opportunity.... Grünbaum's
devastating critique of hermeneutic conceptions and formulations...
alone represents a major contribution of his book."
—Morris Eagle, Philosophy of Science
"Monumental. . .epoch-making."—Frederick Crews, New Republic
"No one will be able to write again on the subject without referring to
Grünbaum—nor will they want to."—Michael Ruse, Free Inquiry
"As a serious psychoanalyst I must say "Thanks! I needed that.". . .it's
good to know that we have at least one friendly critic—to paraphrase the
familiar saying, we won't then need an enemy."
—Morton F. Reiser, The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Pittsburgh Series in
Philosophy and History
of Science
Series Editors:
Adolf Grünbaum
Larry Laudan
Nicholas Rescher
Wesley C. Salmon
THE FOUNDATIONS
OF PSYCHOANALYSIS
A Philosophical Critique
Adolf Grünbaum
Andrew Mellon Professor of Philosophy
and
Research Professor of Psychiatry
University of Pittsburgh
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
Berkeley Los Angeles London
Permission has been granted for the use of the following copyrighted material:
K. R. Eissler, M.D. "Irreverent remarks about the present and the future of
psychoanalysis," International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 50:461-471.
S. Freud. Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud.
James Strachey, General Editor, Vols. III, XX, and XXIII. London: Hogarth
Press.
S. Freud. Interpretation of Dreams and Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis.
London: George Allen & Unwin (Publishers) Ltd.
S. Freud. "An Autobiographical Study," Vol. XX; "Introductory Lectures," Vol.
XV; "Introductory Lectures," Vol. XVI. In Introductory Lectures on
Psychoanalysis, by Sigmund Freud. Translated by James Strachey. Copyright
© 1966 by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. Copyright © 1976,1964,1963 by
James Strachey. Copyright 1920,1935 by Edward L. Bery Bernays
J. Habermas. Knowledge and Human Interests. Translated by Jeremy J.
Shapiro. Copyright © 1971 by Beacon Press. Reprinted by permission of
Beacon Press.
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
Copyright © 1984 by the Regents of the University of California
First Paperback Printing 1985
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Grünbaum, Adolf.
The foundations of psychoanalysis.
Bibliography: p. 287
Includes index.
1. Psychoanalysis. 2. Freud, Sigmund, 1856-1939. 3. Philosophy.
I. Title. [DNLM: 1. Psychoanalytic theory. WM 460 G888f]
BF173.G76 1984 150.19'52 83-9264
ISBN 0-520-05017-7
Printed in the United States of America
This book is a print-on-demand volume. It is manufactured using toner in place
of ink. Type and images may be less sharp than the same material seen in traditionally
printed University of California Press editions.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum
Requirements of ANS1/NISO Z39.48-1992(R 1997)
(Permanence of Paper)
TO
Morris Eagle
Stanley Rachman
Benjamin Rubinstein
Rosemarie Sand
who generously eased my path when I first
entered the field of this book.
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Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Critique of the Hermeneutic Conception of
Psychoanalytic Theory and Therapy 1
\. The Exegetical Legend of "Scientistic Self-Misunderstanding" 2
2. Critique of Habermas's Philosophy of Psychoanalysis 9
A. Does the Dynamics of Psychoanalytic Therapy Exhibit the
"Causality of Fate"? 9
B. Are Nomological Explanations in the Natural Sciences
Generically Non-Historical, While Causal Accounts in
Psychoanalysis are Historically-Contextual? 15
C. Does the Patient Have Privileged Cognitive Access to the
Validation or Discreditation of Psychoanalytic Hypotheses? 21
3. Critique of Ricoeur's Philosophy of Psychoanalysis 43
A. Ricoeur's Truncation of the Purview of Freudian Theory 43
B. Are Natural Science Modes of Explanation and Validation
Gainsaid in Psychoanalysis By the Pathogenicity of
Seduction Fantasies, Or By the Explanatory Role of
"Meaning"? 49
C. Does the Theory of Repression Furnish a "Semantics of
Desire"? 61
vii
viii Contents
D. Ricoeur's Disposal of "The Question of Proof in Freud's
Theory" 67
4. Are Repressed Motives Reasons But Not Causes of Human
Thought and Conduct? 69
5. Critique of George S. Klein's Version of Hermeneutic
Psychoanalysis 83
6. The Collapse of the Scientophobic Reconstruction of Freud's
Theory 93
Part I. The Clinical Method of Psychoanalytic
Investigation: Pathfinder or Pitfall? 95 95
Chapter 1. Is Freud's Theory Empirically Testable? 97
A. Clinical versus Experimental Testability:
Statement of the Controversy 97
B. The Purported Untestability of the
Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality 104
Chapter 2. Did Freud Vindicate His Method of Clinical
Investigation? 127
A. Are Clinical Confirmations an Artifact of the
Patient's Positive "Transference" Feelings
Toward the Analyst? 130
B. Freud's Reliance on the Hypothesized
Dynamics of Therapy as a Vindication of his
Theory of Unconscious Motivation 135
C. Was Freud's Attempted Therapeutic Vindication
of the Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality
Successful? 159
Part II. The Cornerstone of the Psychoanalytic Edifice:
Is the Freudian Theory of Repression Well Founded? 173
Chapter 3. Appraisal of Freud's Arguments for the Repression
Etiology of the Psychoneuroses 177
Chapter 4. Examination of the Psychoanalytic Theory of
Slips—of Memory, the Tongue, Ear, and Pen 190
Chapter 5. Repressed Infantile Wishes as Instigators of All
Dreams: Critical Scrutiny of the Compromise Model
of Manifest Dream Content 216
Contents ix
Chapter 6. Appraisal of Freud's Further Arguments for the
Emergence of Unadulterated Repressions Under
"Free" Association 240
Chapter 7. Remarks on Post-Freudian Defenses of the
Fundamental Tenets of Psychoanalysis 246
Chapter 8. Can the Repression Etiology of Psychoneurosis Be
Tested Retrospectively? 251
Part III. Epilogue 267
Chapter 9. The Method of Free Association and the Future
Appraisal of Psychoanalysis 269
Chapter 10. Critique of Freud's Final Defense of the Probative
Value of Data from the Couch: The Pseudo-
Convergence of Clinical Findings 273
Chapter 11. Coda on Exegetical Myth-Making in Karl Popper's
Indictment of the Clinical Validation of
Psychoanalysis 279
Bibliography 287
Indexes 297
Name Index 299
Subject Index 303