Psychoanalysis as an Empirical Interdisciplinary Science

An epistemological chapter by the philosopher of science and psychoanalyst Patrizia Giampieri-Deutsch introduces the three sections of the volume. The first section is devoted to interdisciplinary investigations on conscious and unconscious processes in psychoanalysis, as well as related fields such as philosophy of mind and cognitive science. Leading researchers in these fields, including the psychoanalyst and cognitive scientist Howard Shevrin (USA), the psychoanalyst and philosopher Linda Brakel (USA), the cognitive psychologist Max Velmans (GB), as well as the philosophers and cognitive scientists David Rosenthal (USA) and Pierre Jacob (F), present their current research results. The chapters of the second section explore the interface of psychoanalysis and cognitive neuroscience: Karl Pribram (USA), the pioneer of cognitive neuroscience, points out the importance of Freud as neurologist following his “Project for a Scientific Psychology” of 1895, the psychoanalyst Regina Pally (USA) introduces the role of emotions in mental life, and the psychoanalyst and neuroscientist Fred Levin (USA) offers a sample of neuro-psychoanalysis. The third section of the volume presents current empirical research in psychoanalysis: Stuart Hauser (USA) reports on his research on resilience that has spanned over twenty years, Rolf Sandell (S) describes his Stockholm Outcome of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy STOPP-Project, and Jorge Canestri (I) draws attention to the impact of current linguistic research on psychoanalysis.