Two Symbolic Forms of Mental Capacity in Psychoanalysis

In psychoanalysis, symbols have a crucial rhetorical and pathological significance. Through discussing and exploring Freudian and Kleinian theories of symbols, the research finds that in Freud's theory, the symbol is a regressive activity of the mind, while in Klein's theory, it is a devel...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chuansong HUO, Dongcheng CHI
Format: Article
Language:zho
Published: Editorial Office of Medicine and Philosophy 2025-04-01
Series:Yixue yu zhexue
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Online Access:https://yizhe.dmu.edu.cn/article/doi/10.12014/j.issn.1002-0772.2025.08.07
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Summary:In psychoanalysis, symbols have a crucial rhetorical and pathological significance. Through discussing and exploring Freudian and Kleinian theories of symbols, the research finds that in Freud's theory, the symbol is a regressive activity of the mind, while in Klein's theory, it is a developmental, progressive one. These discoveries prove that the symbolic capacity, as a specific mental capacity of human beings, holds two different forms. On one hand, analysands consciously use rhetorical symbols to express their emotions and the content of their experiences; on the other hand, they also unconsciously use symbols in their dreams and discourses. The distinction between these two forms of symbolization offers a unique framework for understanding both clinical practice and the workings of the human mind.
ISSN:1002-0772