The secret of science is to ask the right question, and it is the choice of problem more than anything else that marks the man of genius in the scientific world.
Sir Henry Tizard
Sir Henry Tizard
Ouod erat demonstrandum. :)
Jams O'Donnell did by offering a very heavy and sudorific evidence.
Well the hippo suit was very heavy and very, very sudorific. If he was a surrealist I am sure it could have been muscaeous instead!
ReplyDeleteHa, Jams! Sometimes I am glad not to have thousand noses.
ReplyDeleteI like this quotation. It reminded me of Freud. Who would have thought there is more to an "accident" than meets the eye? (only since Freud can one write accident bracketed by inverted commas). Freud found meaning in such apparently trivial things as slips of the tongue and pen, forgetting things, breaking things and all sorts of bungled actions. Whilst everyone else dismissed these things as mere accidents, Freud came up with the theory that parapraxes (bungled actions) are formations of the unconscious that are meaningful and tendentious. Anyone can test his theory and find truth in it, the sort of truth that brings enlightenment about oneself and others.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Sir,
ReplyDeletesome minutes ago I replied to your latest comment at Ardent's.
To repeat myself: Glad to meet you. And hopefully I may be able to say so ... let's say in ten years. :)
Lovely to see you like the quotation(s). After all, you could also think people who'd quote others are just lacking of creativity. :)
As for Freud: You seem to be an expert (and admirer); thus in order to avoid any Freudsche Fehlleistungen / any Freudian slips I shall not tell that I think one does not need to 'burn' one's money by consulting a psychoanalyst once or twice a week.
Oops. Now it has slipped from my keyboard.
Seriously: Would you agree if I said 90 percent of the Americans would not at all need consulting a psychoanalyst, and from the remaining ten percent two thirds would not at all need the consultations, and from the remaining third, two thirds should rather feel they had thrown their money out of the window, and - perhaps - one third, i.e. 1,11 per cent - might (!) know it?
Hm, is it possible I've been a bit exaggerating?
Yes. But (almost) for sure, you'll know what I mean.
Again: Welcome!
Bonjour Sean, mon ami,
ReplyDeletewell that's about as much French as I know so I'll continue in English
;)
Thank for your welcome. Reading your blog is edifying and enjoyable, I also find many of your comments amusing - you have a sense of humour I admire.
I would not call myself an expert but I do respect Freud, and also Jacques Lacan, very much.
That was a very revealing "slip" of the keyboard you made :) the meaning is abundantly clear.
I am very critical of psychoanalysis the way it is practiced in America. For example, Lacan argued that many people have misunderstood Freud, especially American psychoanalysts who believe the aim is to strengthen the ego, whereas Lacan says, on the contrary the aim is to weaken the ego.
As to your questions regarding the value of psychoanalysis, what can I say? ... To each his own... If it makes you feel good, do it!
For me, psychoanalysis is a quest for truth, a path through life. Others take a religious path, yet others follow the philosophers etc.
Some people spend their money on drugs and alcohol, gambling, others donate money to their religious institutions, still others spend tens of thousands to make their cars look different and go faster. People are very creative when it comes to wasting money, ne c'est pas?
I agree, nobody actually NEEDS psychoanalysis. Freud said this himself. If you have problems you can resolve them yourself if you are determined, it is just that it may be quicker to have someone to help you.
It is only a suspicion, but I suspect that there are only a very few, perhaps no more than 10% of the worlds population, that are in a position to gain anything of great and lasting significance from psychoanalysis. On the other hand, I know that psychoanalysis has helped ease the suffering of a great many people, but then so have many other forms of therapy, for example those based on the teachings of Buddhism. I think if I did not follow psychoanalysis, I would follow Buddhism. I do not know which is worse! ;-)
Regarding you remark ...
"After all, you could also think people who'd quote others are just lacking of creativity. :)"
I would like you to know, that is not the impression I have of you, on the contrary, the impression I have is that you are a creative person with an appreciation of the arts and high culture. However, I try not to judge too quickly. One lesson to be learned from psychoanalysis is to hold understanding in suspense.
Au revoir mon ami
Tanyol :)
Tanyol,
ReplyDeletewhere to start? :)
Thanks for the kind compliments. I take it as stimulus for trying to improve.
As for psychoanalysis in general: I am glad I never felt the urge to consultate a psychoanalyst.
But I am with you when you say 'if it makes you feel good, do it. And yes, 'people are very creative when it comes to wasting money'. :)
As for Freud, I do completely agree to what he said in one of his wiser moments: 'I do not think our success can compete those of Lourdes' [Introductory Lectures, 1917]. :)
As for Lacan, I had not heard his name before, but after you mentioned him, I checked the net, found lots of information, but did not read much, yet. Hopefully soon.
Finally for now,: Understanding in suspense, i.e. keeping 'subaltern' in suspense is being practised almost everywhere.
Examples: The employees would be the last to learn they are going to lose their jobs.
Journalist would avoid to let rivalling colleagues know when they feel sure to have a hot 'exclusive' story.
At least what has been described in the first example in German is called 'Herrschaftswissen'. Seemingly there does not exist an English equivalent. Literally translated one could say 'leadership-knowledge'.
And now, Tanyol, I let you know that my bed is calling. :)
Thanks again, and
The Peace of the Night! :)