Chris Green wrote: >I'm sure Koehler (trained as a physicist under Max Planck) [Thanks for that nugget, Chris!] >had his legitimate doubts about psychoanalysis. One >should keep in mind, also, the ongoing intellectual rivalry >between Berlin and Vienna at work here.
As I'm sure Chris will agree, though such rivalries sometimes play a role in the positions taken by the respective proponents, what matters in the end is the calibre of the work and the arguments. Whatever the rivalry between the Viennese and Paris "schools" of psychology/psychotherapy at the turn of the twentieth century, Janet's critiques of psychoanalysis were insightful ("The Journal of Abnormal Psychology", 1914-1915, pp. 1-35; 153-183), as was his later observation: "The psychoanalysts invariably set to work in order to discover a traumatic memory, with an a priori conviction that it is there to be discovered… Owing to the nature of their methods, they can invariably find what they seek." >Interestingly, the one obvious conflict that was probably >NOT at work in Koehler's remark was anti-semitism. >The other major Gestalt theorists (Wertheimer, Koffka) >were, of course. Jewish (though Koehler was not). In Freud's case, claims of opposition motivated by anti-Semitism have tended to be over-stated (the Nazi period excluded, of course). In his monumental volume *The Discovery of the Unconscious* Henri Ellenberger noted: "The [Freud] legend considerably exaggerates the extent and role of anti-Semitism, of the hostility of the academic world, and of alleged Victorian prejudices" (1970, p. 547). On misconceptions about alleged anti-Semitism in regard to the Minister of Education's failing to ratify Freud's nomination in 1897 for promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor at the University of Vienna, see Frank Sulloway's *Freud: Biologist of the Mind* (1979, p. 463). (He was eventually promoted in 1902.) Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London allenester...@compuserve.com http://www.esterson.org ------------------------- From: Christopher D. Green <chri...@yorku.ca> Subject: Re: Freud and intellectuals Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:03:07 -0400 Allen Esterson wrote: An addition to Stephen's list of quotes: Wolfgang Köhler, gestalt psychologist and ethologist: "I now turn to psychoanalysis, the source of more, and of darker, smog than any other doctrine has produced." (Quoted in Percival Bailey, *Sigmund the Unserene: A Tragedy in Three Acts*, 1965) I'm sure Koehler (trained as a physicist under Max Planck) had his legitimate doubts about psychoanalysis. One should keep in mind, also, the ongoing intellectual rivalry between Berlin and Vienna at work here. My wife once suggested to a friend of hers from Berlin, who was experiencing some personal difficulties, that she might seek out a therapist of counselor. The instant and definitive reply was "We are Prussian, not Austrian!" There is a religious aspect to the this rivalry as well (Prussian is Protestant, Austria Catholic). Interestingly, the one obvious conflict that was probably NOT at work in Koehler's remark was anti-semitism. The other major Gestalt theorists (Wertheimer, Koffka) were, of course. Jewish (though Koehler was not). Chris --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=5673 or send a blank email to leave-5673-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu