Apprehending the Inaccessible: Freudian Psychoanalysis and Existential Phenomenology

Throughout history, philosophers have relentlessly pursued what may be called ""inaccessible domains."" This book explores how the traditions of existential phenomenology and Eastern philosophy, in their very different approaches to this pursuit, relate to Freudian psychoanalysis. A clear, succinct, and systematic account of the philosophical presuppositions of psychoanalytic theory and practice, this work offers a deeper and richer understanding and appreciation of Freudian thought, as well as its antecedents and influences. With its unique perspective on Freud's work. Apprehending the Inaccessible puts readers in a better position to appreciate his contributions and evaluate the relationship between his and other philosophical world views. The authors, both of whom have extensive backgrounds in philosophy and psychology, present balanced critical analyses of crucial developments in, for example, the evolution of the Freudian notion of the unconscious, the engagement of existential phenomenology with Freudian psychoanalysis, and the impact of Eastern philosophy on Freud. Askay and Farquhar then consider - often for the first time - individual thinkers' reflections on and interpretations of Freud, ranging from the primary figures in existential phenomenology to the most prominent figures in the existential psychoanalytic movement. Even as their work offers a new approach to Freudian thought, it reasserts the importance of alternative views found in Eastern philosophy and existential phenomenology as those views pertain to psychoanalysis and the question of apprehending the inaccessible.