The Purpose of this "Return to Freud"

The tides are turning and psychoanalysis is reemerging as a force, not only in the world of clinical psychology, but also in nearly all intellectual spheres of thought; from philosophy to neuroscience, from critical theory to political analysis.

We can see this change taking place through the recent popularity of organizations such as The Philoctetes Center (http://www.philoctetes.org/), which calls upon psychoanalysts, philosophers, and neuroscientists to participate in discussions with the aim of comparing and integrating these ever-converging fields of knowledge. Mark Solms, who successfully defended Freud’s dream theory in April 2006, at the Center for Consciousness Studies in Arizona, has been establishing links between his medical practice (cognitive and behavioral neuropsychology) and psychoanalytic theory (www.dreamdebate.com) (http://www.neuro-psa.org.uk/download/SAorig.pdf). Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, one of the world’s foremost neurologists, has recently stressed the prevalence of Freud’s “ego defenses” among his own patients in clinical neurology (http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15598629Wqrq8dHY).

These examples (which are among many others) exemplify how Freud has returned in the contemporary scientific scene: a return of the repressed perhaps? The purpose of this blog is to assist this return to Freud. I will focus on rendering the most seemingly complex aspects of psychoanalytic theory intelligible. I will also focus my energy on the recent and on-going integration of psychoanalysis, neuroscience, and philosophy; this integration is not only possible, it is the wave of the future.

Its time to stop focusing on milk-toast psychotherapy manuals, as well as unrealistic institutionalized ideology in psychology, which is all-to-prevalent in today’s overly bureaucratic system of academia (as well as in practice). In other words, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO FREUD, to really understand the theory, and to REALLY know what he said and did. This is absolutely crucial for the progression of our field, as well as for the care of patients in need of knowledgeable and experienced clinicians who can offer real psychotherapeutic help.

I will do my best to contribute to his movement, and I offer my readers all of my knowledge, distilled, into clear and concise essays.