Events and Seminars

Event:A Rapaport-Klein Study Group Presentation: Did Strachey Falsely Scientize Freud?
Venue:Online
Date:20/06/2025
Duration:12 - 2am BST / 8 - 10pm EDT
Extra Info:With Professor Mark Solms

The claim that Strachey ‘falsely scientized’ Freud, mainly through the translation of his technical vocabulary, is the red thread that runs through all the major criticisms of the Standard Edition (e.g. Bettelheim, Ornston, Laplanche). In this lecture, I will argue against this criticism on three grounds. (1) It fails to take account of the differing conventions employed in German and English scientific writing. (2) It fails to take account of Freud’s personal involvement in Strachey’s choices. (3) It fails to consider continuities between Freud’s neuroscientific and psychoanalytic writings. These points will be illustrated by way of representative examples. I will also take the opportunity to describe and defend other editorial policy decisions that I took, and I will provide a general introduction to the form and content of the Revised Standard Edition.
Organised By:Erikson Institute for Education & Austen Riggs Center
Web Link:https://education.austenriggs.org/content/rapaport-klein-study-group-presentation-did-strachey-falsely-scientize-freud-professor-mark
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