Document Detail


Freud's letters to Fliess. From seduction to sexual biology, from psychopathology to a clinical anthropology.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11723955     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The author describes the development of Freud's theory of neurosis from 1892 onwards, starting with his distinction between the actual neuroses and the psychoneuroses and his discovery of a specific, sexual aetiology for both, until which point it remained limited to pathology. The problem of the aetiology of perversion, however, confronted him with a paradox within the theory of seduction: how can an infantile sexual pleasure produce unpleasure when it is remembered at the time of puberty? This problem could not be solved within the framework of the seduction theory because the sexuality of childhood was essential to this theory. For an answer Freud had to turn to biology. He considered that the transformation of an infantile pleasure into unpleasure presupposed an organic repression of non-genital sexual pleasure. This hypothesis of organic repression radically changed the anthropological claim of Freud's theory. As long as he was looking for a specific aetiology of neurosis and perversion, Freud's theory remained restricted to pathology. However, when he introduced infantile sexuality and its organic repression as universal organic processes, the strict distinction between normality and pathology could not be maintained. The author concludes that by turning to sexual biology, Freud transformed psychopathology into a clinical anthropology.
Authors:
T Geyskens
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The International journal of psycho-analysis     Volume:  82     ISSN:  0020-7578     ISO Abbreviation:  Int J Psychoanal     Publication Date:  2001 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2001-11-28     Completed Date:  2002-03-20     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  2985179R     Medline TA:  Int J Psychoanal     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  861-76     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Center for Psychoanalysis and Philosophical Anthropology, University of Leuven/University of Nijmegen Aarschotsesteenweg 338/202 3012 Wilsele, Belgium.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Freudian Theory*
Humans
Neurotic Disorders / psychology*
Psychopathology*
Psychosexual Development / physiology
Sexuality / psychology*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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