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PSYCHO-ANALYSIS AND PSYCHIATRY 3??l
the sympathetic paths, and are accessible to psychic influence. The chief aim is the study of the aetiology and with it of pro- phylaxis.
The success ah-eady attained by Freud also shows us the method that will play the principle part in the later development f-M ' of psychiatry. The psychiatrist will have to renounce a further
^■^% portion of his narcissism. '• '^
';ij«' We have arrived at the conviction that important sources of ,;'„^ error as regards the results lie in the person of the investigator.
i;'^, 'In astronomy it has long been known that the personal error has
^:h" . to be taken into account in the observation. Besides, it is known
how the utility of working theories has previously suffered from '^ ■ the fact that the earth was considered the centre of the universe,
|>^. , and how the sacrifice of this over-valuation led at once to a great
if#- V advance of science, even though at first it suffered from strong
Y.^f- and active opposition on the part of the ruling powers.
f^^; , i -ill, What was possible for astronomy has also to serve for psychiatry.
tjM We also have to learn to sacrifice that part of our self-overestimation
1^;^^ ' which places in the centre and considers unassailable our truth, our
^£ religion, our standard of civilisation. We have to give up the
!&•; narcissistic and infantile idea that development is the path to
|:'_v|;. greater ' purposiveness ' of action. Every action is purposive for
^ ■ our one purpose, that of the libido, and without purpose for our
other purpose, that of the ego impulses, or vice versa, or for both. In human development is to be seen perhaps only the one guiding line — that of the progressive retardation of the discharge, i. e. pro- longation of life. Biologically considered this certainly is not always an advantage for the species, and if carried out unchecked the principle, which paralyses the elasticity of the' species, could just as well destroy it as it has destroyed other great species.
The psycho-analytical continuation of psychiatry will have to free itself from the arrogance that lies hidden in the word 'subli- mation'. This word has been invented by a philosopher, and is better replaced by 'domestication', or 'taming'. Where possible ' these judgements as to value must be avoided. In the end nobody can do this, but they can be postponed — and in the meantime analysed — to the point where the doctor steps in, i. e. the therapy, or the prophylaxis. It is then found that the points of attack and the direction of this help are quite different from those of the present psychiatry, which leaves its aims wholly to the rest of
