Course Form for WHU Summer School International 2024
Course Title |
(英 文)Wittgenstein & Freud: Intersections between the Unconscious in Language and the Individual Mind |
(中 文)维特根斯坦与弗洛伊德:语言无意识和个体心理的交叉 |
Teacher |
Li Zhi, Talia Morag, David Macarthur |
First day of classes |
July 1st |
Last day of classes |
July 22nd |
Course Credit |
1 (Theory Credits: 1; Practice Credits: 0) |
Course Description |
Course Introduction |
The seminar will be a critical comparison of the philosophy of Wittgenstein and the psychoanalysis of Freud. Wittgenstein is famous for having undermined Freud’s pretension that psychoanalysis is a science. Our seminar will turn this criticism on its head by drawing an analogy between psychoanalysis and Wittgenstein’s own linguistic philosophy. Wittgenstein is at pains to distinguish knowledge of the logic of language (which he calls “grammar”) from scientific knowledge. Although grammar concerns the empirical phenomena of language in space and time, it focuses attention on the historically situated projection of words into unique circumstances of use. So, by analogy, psychoanalysis concerns the empirical phenomena of a unique person’s psychology, focusing attention on that person’s specific emotions in the context of their idiosyncratic past experience. We shall propose that, by analogy with Wittgenstein’s linguistic philosophy, psychoanalysis is a humanistic discipline with a non-scientific epistemology. This has important practical implications for how we conceive the “talking cure” that both Wittgenstein and Freud appeal to. The objectifying gaze of science cannot do justice to the ethically charged I-you relationship of philosophical or psychoanalytic therapy. |
Objective |
1.Values: The seminar will provide a unique dual perspective from which to re-assess the importance and ultimate value of Wittgenstein's philosophy and Freudian psychoanalysis. 2.Knowledge and Understanding: the seminar will deepen the understanding of both Wittgenstein’s philosophy and Freudian psychoanalysis by looking at Wittgenstein through Freud’s eyes and Wittgenstein through Freud’s. 3.Abilities and Skills: the seminar will develop close reading skills appropriate to difficult texts and to enhance critical essay writing skills; as well as providing the tools to look at familiar topics from a fresh perspective. |
Assignments (essay or other forms) |
1.Requirements: One 2000 critical essay on a topic chosen from a list of topics. 2.Grading Rubric: Out of 100 |
Text Books and Reading Materials |
Talia Morag “Bad Faith and the Unconscious”, Selections from Freud’s Collected Papers and Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations, Charles Taylor, Excerpts from The Social Imaginary Selections from Freud’s Collected Papers and Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations David Macarthur, “Wittgenstein’s Un-Ruley Solution to the Problem of Philosophy”; Selections from Freud’s Collected Papers and Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations; Cavell, “Criteria and Judgment” from The Claim of Reason (1979). Talia Morag, “Well-Being, Morality and the end of Psychoanalysis”; selections from Freud’s Collected Papers and Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations |
The Outline of 《Wittgenstein & Freud: Intersections between the Unconscious in Language and the Individual Mind》
1. Basic Teaching Information
Course Code:3000110013004 |
Course Title: |
Faculty:Li Zhi, Talia Morag, David Macarthur |
Targeted Student: All the Students of the Philosophy Department and Some students from HongYi School。 |
Course Credit:1 |
Lecture Hours: (consisted of 16 theoretical hours and 0 practical hours) |
Course Leader: |
Name:Li Zhi |
E-mail:skywatersnake@hotmail.com |
Office: |
Mobile: |
Course Staff: |
Name:Talia Morag |
E-mail:talia.morag@gmail.com |
Office: |
Mobile: |
Course Staff: |
Name:David Macarthur |
E-mail:david.macarthur@ sydney.edu.au |
Office: |
Mobile: |
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2. Course Introduction
The seminar will be a critical comparison of the philosophy of Wittgenstein and the psychoanalysis of Freud. Wittgenstein is famous for having undermined Freud’s pretension that psychoanalysis is a science. Our seminar will turn this criticism on its head by drawing an analogy between psychoanalysis and Wittgenstein’s own linguistic philosophy. Wittgenstein is at pains to distinguish knowledge of the logic of language (which he calls “grammar”) from scientific knowledge. Although grammar concerns the empirical phenomena of language in space and time, it focuses attention on the historically situated projection of words into unique circumstances of use. So, by analogy, psychoanalysis concerns the empirical phenomena of a unique person’s psychology, focusing attention on that person’s specific emotions in the context of their idiosyncratic past experience. We shall propose that, by analogy with Wittgenstein’s linguistic philosophy, psychoanalysis is a humanistic discipline with a non-scientific epistemology. This has important practical implications for how we conceive the “talking cure” that both Wittgenstein and Freud appeal to. The objectifying gaze of science cannot do justice to the ethically charged I-you relationship of philosophical or psychoanalytic therapy.
3. The Allocation of Content and Lecture Hours
Content |
Lecture Hours |
Introduction. The Unconscious of nguage and Mind. |
4 |
The Imagination: Picturing (Wittgenstein) & Transference (Freud) |
4 |
The non-scientific method of selfknowledge in philosophy & psychoanalysis. |
4 |
Well-being: the “talking cure” and the aim of therapy in Philosophy and Psychoanalysis. |
4 |
4. Assessment Methods and Marking Criterion
We use a Socratic method of challenging received understandings of the relationship between Wittgenstein’s linguistic philosophy and Freudian psychoanalysis. Our aim is to get students to think for themselves about the nature of philosophy and the self knowledge at the heart of psychoanalysis. We will conduct four intensive seminars in each of which we will discuss a common theme: 1) the unconscious; 2) the central role of imagination; 3) a non-scientific method; and 4) the peace of mind or well-being that is the aim of therapy.
Requirements: One 2000 critical essay on a topic chosen from a list of topics.
Grading Rubric: Out of 100
5. Textbooks and References
Jacques Bouvaresse, Wittgenstein Reads Freud: The Myth of the Unconscious (Princeton UP, 1996)
Ian Hacking, “Wittgenstein as Philosophical Psychologist”