Between Mind and Brain

Subtitled 'models of the mind and models in the mind', this book builds a conceptual bridge between the psychoanalytic concept of mind and mind as understood in science within a wide frame of reference including philosophy and literature. He quotes Bertrand Russell to the effect that every writer on philosophy has a concealed and unconscious metaphysic as an uncritically believed system underlying his specific arguments. This applies to any discipline with a theoretical underpinning. The author sees psychoanalysis as a natural history of the mind that draws not just on psychology but also biology, philosophy and literature (he discusses Wordsworth, Milton and Blake) as well as kinship groups with shared beliefs. He sees the task of the analyst as becoming more aware of the unconscious models inhabiting the minds of their patients while at the same time becoming more aware of those models that shape their own theorising. In other words, being open to change and learning from experience. This book will be of most interest to philosophically minded analysts.