THE CONCEPT OF PSYCHIC DETERMINISM
Abstract
Psychic determinism is a basic tenet of psychoanalysis. It is commonly defined as an application of the causality principle to psychic occurrences. Causality, however, is no longer accepted as a basic postulate in the advanced physical sciences. This dilemma is recognized by the psychoanalysts, who nevertheless would prefer to retain a deterministic point of view.
Psychic determinism may be defined without reference to causality, by using the mathematical concept of a function. Whether or not the psyche is a deterministic system, in the mathematical sense, cannot be decided in the present state of our knowledge.
Regardless of the definition chosen, psychic determinism is best regarded as a working hypothesis, which cannot be established on a priori grounds.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).