>This is the early Freud. He rejected the seduction theory. It's been >revived by the recovered memory industry, with the intellectual assistance >of Jeff Masson, the former Romeo who mended his ways & took up with >Catherine MacKinnon. Generally, I think daily newspapers are a poor guide >to philosphy and intellectual history, though they are a lot easier to read >than the real thing. > >Doug If the "recovered memory industry" bases itself on the scandalously unscientific "early Freud", what does this say about Freud's approach? What did he replace it with? The Oedipal Complex? Which is based on the notion that when patients repress their sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex, they develop medical complaints like vomiting or dizzy spells? This is a step upwards? If you believe that the Oedipal Complex has anything to do with medical science, then you can believe anything. For Freud successful resolution of the Oedipus complex was the precondition for healthy sexuality, which he called the genital phase. This occurs when the boy abandons his sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex in favour of a more suitable love object. In the case of the girl, disappointment over not having a penis is transcended by the rejection of her mother in favour of a father figure. In both cases, sexual maturity means heterosexual behaviour. This is mumbo-jumbo. It is false science based on conjecture mixed with literary references. It is astonishing that psychoanalysts made a living based on these superstitions throughout the 40s and 50s. Nowadays, physicians prescribe medication, which is about the best thing you can do for people who are suffering. Louis Proyect (http://www.panix.com/~lnp3/marxism.html)
