Freud's Foes Psychoanalysis, Science, and Resistance [Paperback]

Kurt Jacobsen brings a verve and energy to Freuds defense that is more often found in the writings of his enemies. His counterattack in the 'Freud Wars' contrasts Freuds enlightened thinking with the ignorance and cruelty of much of the orthodox psychiatry of his time.Today when illness and unhappiness are attributed to chemical or genetic configurations Freud has become a has-been; no one seems more irrelevant than the old doctor from Vienna. Yet with verve and insight Kurt Jacobsen shows in Freuds Foes that the psychiatrists and Freud critics ply their own myths. The 'revolution in psychiatry' that pushes prescription drugs for everything just might be a counter-revolution. A bold, smart and refreshing effort to set the record straight, Freuds Foes deserves to be widely read and discussed.Written by a political scientist, this book is a breath of fresh air-an intelligent, spirited, and informed defense of Freud's oeuvre and contribution. . . . Jacobsen's assessment of science is informed, as is the social critique concerning whether or not Freud overdid sex in his theory. The author deals adroitly with the theory and culture surrounding psychoanalysis, neither suffering fools nor mincing words. . . . This book provides rich fodder for debate. Highly recommended.Freuds Foes is not only a well-grounded examination of Freuds enduring contributions to modern psychotherapy, psychology, and other sciences; it could bring about a revolution in our thinking. Without turning a blind eye to the difficulties and shortcomings of psychoanalysis, this book shows that Freud was indeed a scientist of high acuity. It avoids the traps into which the foes regularly fallsuccumbing to the temptation of magic bullets and to a pseudo-scientific search for quick, simple, one-sided answers instead of acknowledging the complexity of external factors interacting with psychic reality. I do not know a more impressive book about the modern reception of psychoanalysis and its consequenl£!