klein
-
The Mad World of Melanie Klein (Part 2)
Klein started with the traditional idea of Subject meets Object, but she developed this idea very differently from philosophers, ending up making many strange, mad-sounding claims. Post-Kleinians used the flexibility of her framework to develop all sorts of new ideas, some of which seem at least as mad, if not madder. One of Klein’s early… Continue reading
-
Why do psychoanalysts attribute complex experiences to babies?
Most psychoanalysts attribute a great deal of importance to people’s early experiences, but the stories they tell seem far removed from what we would normally say about the experiences of babies and very young children. The school of psychoanalysis that does this in the most striking (and sometimes most offensive) way is Kleinianism, so it… Continue reading
-
Does it make sense to attribute complex thoughts and feelings to babies?
Psychoanalysts often attribute complex thoughts and feelings to babies, but since babies cannot speak and have a limited behavioural repertoire (compared to children and adults), this seems ridiculous. This objection resonates strongly with Wittgensteinians, who emphasise that inner processes stand in need of outward criteria. They may also note that Wittgenstein himself called into question… Continue reading
-
Oedipus and the Dangers of Splitting
Guilt is a painful emotion, but surely it has a positive value. Isn’t feeling sorry for the wrong that one has done the first step towards becoming a better person? It is certainly more attractive than refusing to admit that one has acted badly. But guilt is a difficult emotion to handle. It can create… Continue reading
Wittgenstein and Freud 