Psychodynamism

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Psychodynamism describes a concept of life and illness that was established at the beginning of the 18th century, largely by Georg Ernst Stahl (1659–1734). According to this, a "misguided" soul is the cause of the disruption of organ functions. Affects such as joy, sadness, anger, hope and love are important for the condition and functionality of the organs. Stahl's "soul-influencing" therapy proposals are interpreted as early attempts at psychotherapy .

Animism and dynamism

In his main work Theoria medica vera 1707, Stahl also called his teaching animism . However, this term should not be confused with nature-religious animism . As anima (later also: Physis, Natura, Vis vitalis, Principium vitale, Agens vitale, Vis plastica called) Stahl described the power of the soul as a life-driving principle that unconsciously, instinctively or consciously controls all life processes. This theoretical approach is by definition referred to as the “ psychic approach ”. This influenced Stahl u. a. the vitalists of the Montpellier school . The concept of psychodynamism also differs from that of animism, as Stahl himself understood it, insofar as he based this anima concept on a special metaphysical and natural-philosophical meaning of the soul concept. The theory of natural philosophy is ultimately also the core of Stahl's phlogiston theory. It was the subject of his discussion with Friedrich Hoffmann (1660–1742), who represented a solidarity-mechanistic nerve theory. Stahl was already attacked by William Battie (1703–1776) for having falsely mythologized and deified the term anima. Even the vitalists could not unreservedly share Stahl's metaphysical view, which was less promising than therapeutic influences.

In contrast, the term dynamism is independent of the existence of a soul. It is more versatile and can be interpreted in a more general way, in that it simply designates something active or radiating effects as force or power. It remains to be seen whether this is meant in a specific individual case as a scientific causal connection or whether there is an inexplicable connection that gives rise to magical assumptions, for example animals are bewitched because a sign is attached to the door ( Mana , Wakanda , Orenda ). Even Carl Jung understands the concept of psychic dynamism in this sense. He sees it in connection with the concept of energy . He understands this as a pure concept a priori . He differentiates between sensually inexperienced energy and the sensually perceptible effects of the energy, which he regards as forces . Forces express themselves z. B. in sensually perceptible movements. When the abstract concept of energy is applied to substances of experience, a concretization or illustration of the (pure) concept necessarily occurs . In this way this illustrated concept formation is substantiated and hypostatized , such as that of the ether . Dynamism therefore represents at least a certain concretization of the originally abstract concept of soul. Philippe Muller also sees the concept of psychic energy as a metaphor to point out the dynamic aspect of behavior. - The concept of nerve force, which emerged through steel, meant a dynamization and functionalization of the previous mechanical nerve theories. The concept of soul energy and its dynamics was not only used by Gerorg Ernst Stahl, but also includes a very specific solution to the body-soul problem .

Different reception

Especially the Romantic medicine concerned with steel Anima concept. In contrast to the pragmatic psychiatrists in England and the vitalists in France, Johann Gottfried Langermann (1768–11832) accepted Stahl's theory throughout. The energetic-dynamic concept was also used by Freud and C. G. Jung to explain the various manifestations of the libido . Freud and Jung used different definitions for the term “libido”.

mythology

Paolo Uccello : Saint George fighting the dragon. Oil on canvas, around 1470. National Gallery , London
The sea monster Ketos in the painting “Perseus frees Andromeda” by Piero di Cosimo . Oil on panel, 1513. Uffizi Gallery , Florence

CG Jung sees the dynamics of the soul as archetypal . Archetypes are understood as force fields. Mythological depictions are therefore the classic form of depicting emotional dynamics. A limited number of archetypal constellations are decisive for the energetic-dynamic mental processes, for mental developments and changes, cf. Psychogenesis . Here, the treatment of the topic of dragons in mythology should be singled out as an example for the representation of dynamic mental processes . Even if the dynamics in the above illustration of the painting by Paolo Uccello seem to indicate the contrast between animus and anima , the interpretation of the symbol “dragon” is certainly not exhausted. In the illustration, the dark elements such as "night", "cave", "underworld", "depth" and, last but not least, the element "dragon" indicate the evolutionary series of the female archetype, as do the elements "earth", "mountain" , "Valley". The bright elements, which are mainly characterized by the horse, indicate the male archetype. The female dynamic is of a different quality (the dragon's collar) than the male. Using the example of the inner-soul dynamics between the animus and anima, reference should be made to the basic structure of opposites between the inner-soul and physiological processes, cf. → Provision . - The portrayal of the fight with the dragon by Piero di Cosimo in the Perseus legend appears completely different . Here, because of Andromeda's defenselessness criticized by Perseus (not tied to the rock, but to a tree in the painting), the social aspect of the mother archetype seems to be in the foreground as it was represented in the psychological interpretation of the dragon motif by Lutz Röhrich and not the aforementioned Aspect of the process of individuation within the soul or of the individual mythology. On dynamic aspects u. a. also the legend of Herakles , see the fight with the Nemean lion . Erich Neumann has also described the antithesis with regard to leading figures in ethics. The saint represents the principle of light, which is symbolized by the halo , see → Pleroma . It is similar with depictions in which St. George kills the dragon.

Principle of synchronicity

With synchronicity , CG Jung designed another principle as an alternative and supplement to the concept of causality and thus also to psychological dynamics. He defines synchronicity as the "temporal coincidence of two or more non-causally related events with the same or similar meaning".

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Eckart, Wolfgang : History of Medicine, Springer-Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York 1990, ISBN 3-540-51982-3 , pp. 173f.
  2. ↑ Ackerknecht, Erwin H .: Brief history of psychiatry . Enke, Stuttgart 3 1985, ISBN 3-432-80043-6 ; Page 35 f.
  3. ^ Jung, Carl Gustav : Aion. Contributions to the symbolism of the self. Collected Works. Walter-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1995, paperback, special edition, volume 9, 2nd half volume, ISBN 3-530-40085-8 , on the phogiston theory: page 266, § 394
  4. ↑ a b c Dörner, Klaus : Citizens and Irre . On the social history and sociology of science in psychiatry. (1969) Fischer Taschenbuch, Bücher des Wissens, Frankfurt / M 1975, ISBN 3-436-02101-6 ; (a) on Stw. "Battie's criticism of steel": page 55 f .; (b) on Stw. “metaphysical character of the anima concept steel and criticism of the vitalists”: page 122; (c) Re. “Nerve force and dynamics”: page 63.
  5. ↑ Gruhle, Hans Walter : Understanding Psychology . Experiential theory. Georg Thieme, Stuttgart 2 1956; Page 437
  6. ↑ a b c Jung, Carl Gustav : The dynamics of the unconscious . Collected Works. Walter-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1995, paperback, special edition, volume 8, ISBN 3-530-40083-1 ; (from) to Stw. “Concept of Dynamism”: II. The application of the energetic point of view. Cape. D. Energetism and Dynamism. Page 532 ff., §§ 927–931; (c) Re. "Synchronicity": page 457 ff. (XVIII. Synchronicity as a principle of acausal relationships; document prepared together with Wolfgang Pauli )
  7. ↑ a b c Arnold, Wilhelm et al. (Ed.): Lexicon of Psychology . Bechtermünz, Augsburg 1996, Volume 2, ISBN 3-86047-508-8 ; to Stw. "Psychic Energy" by P. Muller: Column 1711
  8. ^ Langermann, Johann Gottfried : De methodo cognoscendi curandique animi morbos stabilienda . (1797); Note: In the introduction to this document - pages 3–94 - large excerpts of Stahl's anima theory are printed.
  9. ↑ a b c d Jacobi, Jolande : The psychology of CG Jung . An introduction to the complete works. With a preface by C. G. Jung. Fischer Taschenbuch, Frankfurt March 1987, ISBN 3-596-26365-4 , (a) to Stw. “Kraftfelder”: page 50; (b) Re. “Dragons and other elements in the evolutionary series of the archetype of the feminine”: pages 53 f., (c) Re. “Dragons”: pages 53 f., 98; (d) Re. "Synchronicity": page 55
  10. ^ Ovid : Metamorphoses . Liber IV, verse 695 ff.
  11. ^ Röhrich, Lutz : Drache, Drachenkampf, Drachentöter , page 813–815.
  12. ↑ Kerényi, Karl : About origin and foundation in mythology . In: Introduction to the essence of mythology. Amsterdam 1941, note: Kerényi coined the term “individual mythology”. Page 36
  13. ↑ Neumann, Erich : Depth Psychology and New Ethics . © 1964 by Kindler-Verlag Munich, edition in Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag 1985, series: Geist und Psyche, ISBN 3-596-42005-9 ; Pp. 33, 79-84