Interpretation and explanation in psychoanalysis

Stein, Joanne

Interpretation and explanation in psychoanalysis

Master Thesis

1991

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Psychology

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

By exploring the logical status of the psychoanalytic object of investigation, the compromise-formation, this dissertation suggests that although Freud's defence of Psychoanalysis as a natural science has been legitimately rejected as problematic, the reconstrual of Psychoanalysis as an interpretive or hermeneutic knowledge is likewise inappropriate to the psychoanalytic object. On the basis of the work of Donald Davidson and Arthur Dante, it is argued instead that the nature and status of Psychoanalysis as a knowledge is best understood and assessed in terms of a third alternative provided by the historical epistemology germane to the psychoanalytic object. In this way, the case against Psychoanalysis as a natural science is granted, while psychoanalytic epistemology is nevertheless defended as explanatory rather than interpretive.

Description

Bibliography: leaves 150-155.

Keywords

Psychology

Reference:

Collections

Masters

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