Freud's philosophy of the unconscious and its relation to recent philosophical criticisms and reconstructions of his work
This thesis examines aspects of Sigmund Freud's philosophy of mind, particularly with respect to his concept of unconscious mental events. Freud moved from psycho-physical dualism to a version of the identity theory in 1895. This transition coincided with, and provided the basis for his theory of unconscious mental events. Freud used a principle of mental continuity to provide philosophical support for his physicalistic theory of unconscious mental processes and to defend it against rival theories of neurophysiological dispositional ism and the dissociationism. The neuroscientist Jackson had a strong influence on the development of Freud's philosophical ideas. Freud eventually rejected Jackson's ontological dualism, although he ultimately retained Jackson's methodological dualism and anti-localisation ism. Freud's physicalistic theory of consciousness, which is intimately related to his theory of the unconscious, was set out in 1895, and the main features of this account were retained for the rest of his lifetime. Freud's concern with the neurophysiological ontology of mental items led him to take an anti-realist stance toward folk-psychological entities. His theory of mind is hospitable to homuncularÂ· functionalism
Smith, David Livingstone
Philosophy
Freud's philosophy of the unconscious and its relation to recent philosophical criticisms and reconstructions of his work. This thesis examines aspects of Sigmund Freud's philosophy of mind, particularly with respect to his concept of unconscious mental events. Freud moved from psycho-physical dualism to a version of the identity theory in 1895. This transition coincided with, and provided the basis for his theory of unconscious mental events. Freud used a principle of mental continuity to provide philosophical support for his physicalistic theory of unconscious mental processes and to defend it against rival theories of neurophysiological dispositional ism and the dissociationism. The neuroscientist Jackson had a strong influence on the development of Freud's philosophical ideas. Freud eventually rejected Jackson's ontological dualism, although he ultimately retained Jackson's methodological dualism and anti-localisation ism. Freud's physicalistic theory of consciousness, which is intimately related to his theory of the unconscious, was set out in 1895, and the main features of this account were retained for the rest of his lifetime. Freud's concern with the neurophysiological ontology of mental items led him to take an anti-realist stance toward folk-psychological entities. His theory of mind is hospitable to homuncularÂ· functionalism
freud philosophy unconscious relation recent_philosophical criticism reconstruction work examines aspect freud philosophy_mind particularly_respect concept unconscious mental event freud move psycho physical dualism version identity theory transition coincide provide_basis theory unconscious mental event freud use principle mental continuity provide philosophical support theory unconscious mental_process defend rival theory dispositional ism strong_influence development freud philosophical idea freud eventually reject ontological dualism although ultimately retain methodological dualism anti localisation ism freud theory consciousness intimately_related theory unconscious set main_feature account rest lifetime freud concern ontology mental item lead take anti_realist stance toward folk_psychological entity theory_mind functionalism