The emperor or his clothes? The Laconian and ego-psychological views of the ego
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Authors
Courtney, Mark E.
Issue Date
1987
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This paper compares the perspectives of American ego psychology with those of Lacanian psychoanalysis in regard to the concept of the ego as it is used in the psychoanalysis of neurosis. A theoretical discussion is integrated with a series of discussions with practicing psychoanalysts for the purpose of this comparison. A number of fundamental differences between the theory and practice of the two schools as they relate to the ego are pointed out. In general, it is argued that the ego psychologists tend to see the ego as the center of human subjectivity and to focus much of their psychoanalytic work on the ego, while the Lacanians consider the ego to be an illusion of subjectivity which should not be the proper focus of psychoanalysis. Given the radical nature of the differences between these two views, it is argued that therapists and educators should pay greater attention to the underlying philosophical assumptions of their work.