When the penis sits on the head: psychoanalytical symbol interpretation and logo-poetical hermeneutics

Abstract

Summary: Sigmund Freud with the invention of his Psychoanalysis interpretation discipline has certainly achieved an ingenious success. Radical sceptics of psychoanalysis appear to question this certainty, in that they describe psychoanalytical symbol interpretation as a crass aberration or even as outright nonsense.
The claim that this special interpretative knowledge deals with hermeneutically gained knowledge of a causal nature, serves as a defence for many psychoanalysis apologists of the scientific value of psychoanalytic interpretations.
Although the modern scientific theory-based observer sees no reason to challenge the grandiosity of the Freudian achievement, he warns about the problematic image of hermeneutic causal research because this represents a conceptual combination of a “contradictio in adiecto”.
Hermeneutic and causal analyses by definition do not fit together. Here an alternative suggestion is put forward for discussion: through psychoanalytical interpretation which represents a healing logo-poetical practice of working with interweaving texts, so creating an understandable and meaningful product which is available for the continuing therapeutic application.

Keywords: Psychoanalytic symbol interpretation, the science of meaning generating texts, logo-poetic hermeneutics, psycho-narrative nets, offers of meaning