The Fractured Self in Freud and German Philosophy

Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory has deeply affected how we think of ourselves, in emphasizing the limits of consciousness and the impact of irrational forces on our behavior. Philosophers have begun to appreciate the significance of Freud's work, but they have not yet established Freud's place in the history of philosophy. The Fractured Self in Freud and German Philosophy argues that Freud addresses pivotal questions concerning the nature of subjectivity that occupy philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche. Altman and Coe examine Freud's transformation of German philosophical approaches to freedom, history, and self-knowledge; defend a theory of situated knowledge and agency; and consider the relevance of Freudian thought for contemporary issues in critical race theory, science studies, and cultural studies. Through this interdisciplinary analysis, the book illuminates the productive tensions between Freud and nineteenth-century thought in ways that are relevant to philosophy, psychology, and intellectual history.

Contents:

Acknowledgments Note on Sources and Key to Abbreviations Introduction. Freud's Anxieties about Philosophy, Philosophy's Anxieties about Freud 1. Kant: The Inscrutable Subject 2. Fichte: The Self as Creature and Creator 3. Schelling: Methodologies of the Unconscious 4. Schopenhauer: Renouncing Pessimism 5. Schleiermacher: The Psychological Significance of Translation 6. Marx: Freeing Ourselves from Ourselves 7. Hegel: The Entanglements of the Present 8. Nietzsche: The Therapeutic Function of Genealogy 9. Kant, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche: Mourning the Death of God Conclusion. A Freudian After-Education Bibliography Index