The Logic of Explanation in Psychoanalysis

The Logic of Explanation in Psychoanalysis is this is the first full-length study of a single case history written by a practicing psychiatrist from the standpoint of the philosophy of science. This book is a contribution to the growing dialogue between philosophers of science and psychiatrists. It ranges in scope from highly technical linguistic issues to problems concerning Freud's early theory of psychosexual development.
The study's primary appeal will be, on the one hand, to those philosophers interested in logical problems in the behavioral sciences and, on the other, to those psychiatrists and psychoanalysts who are not content simply to worry about the very real difficulties of psychotherapy, but who also feel obliged to concern themselves with the scientific status of a psychodynamically oriented theory of human behavior. However, the importance and contemporary relevance of such an interdisciplinary approach will be apparent to a far wider audience. Therefore, an attempt has been made to present the material in a manner both appealing and comprehensible to readers who may lack the specialized knowledge required of either the philosopher or the psychiatrist. In so doing it is hoped that an even wider based dialogue can be established.

Preface

Chapter 1. Preliminaries

Chapter 2. Scientific Explanation: Some Preliminary Observations

A. The Context of Explanation

B. A Classification of Explanations

Chapter 3. Theoretical Objections to a Science of Human Behavior

A. Limitations Based upon Supposed Demands of Scientific Method

B. Limitations Based upon Supposed Peculiarities of Human Behavior

Chapter 4. Case Study: A Psychoanalytic Explanation of an Individual's Behavior

A. Selection of Case Material

B. The Case History of Paul Lorenz

C. An Outline of Freud's Theories, 1905-1909

D. Freud's Psychoanalytic Explanation of the Paul Lorenz Case

Chapter 5. The Thesis of the Separate Domain

A. Movements and Actions in The Concept of Motivation

B. Causes and Reasons in Causation in the Law

C. Causes and Reasons in Psychoanalysis

D. "Overdetermination" and the Separate Domain Thesis

Chapter 6. The Psychoanalytic Narrative

A. Explanation and Description

B. The Psychoanalytic Narrative

C. Explaining and Understanding

D. The Complexity of a Psychoanalytic Narrative

Chapter 7. A Contextual Analysis of Psychoanalytic Explanation

A. Generalizations, Laws, and the Hypothetical-Deductive Model

B. Psychoanalytic Narratives as Explanations

C. The Evaluation of Psychoanalytic Narratives

Chapter 8. Pointings

Appendix. Historical and Textual Problems in the Lorenz Case

Bibliography

Subject Index