AN OUTLINE OF PSYCHOANALYSIS. PART II. PRACTICAL ISSUES

Abstract

In the third issue of the "Ukrainian Psychoanalytic Journal," readers are presented with the Ukrainian translation of the third and conclusive segment of Sigmund Freud's "Outline of Psychoanalysis." This work represents Freud's final revision of foundational psychoanalytic concepts. The "Outline of Psychoanalysis" is notable for its endeavor to synthesize both the topical (conscious, preconscious, unconscious) and structural (Ego, Id, Superego) models of the psychic apparatus. Concurrently, in the "Outline," Freud continues his efforts to rehabilitate physiological concepts pertaining to the underpinnings of mental and psychoanalytic mechanisms, previously expounded in Freud's "Project for a Scientific Psychology" (1895). These concepts resurface prominently after a protracted hiatus in his works of 1920, "Beyond the Pleasure Principle" (Jenseits des Lustprinzips), and "The Ego and the Id" (1923). Freud began working on the text of “An Outline of Psychoanalysis” no earlier than spring or no later than the summer of 1938. That is either before leaving Vienna (April-May), escaping persecution by the Nazis, or already being in London (July). Freud emigrated to London in June 1938. By the beginning of September 1938, Freud had written 63 manuscript sheets. Unfortunately, an urgent operation interrupted his work on the text. Therefore, Freud did not return to his idea anymore. However, despite the fact that the text “An Outline of Psychoanalysis” is unfinished, this does not diminish its significance for understanding the history of analytical thinking and for understanding psychoanalytic theory and practice. It is not only thematically integral but also contains a more detailed discussion of some topics, among which are problems of the splitting of the Ego and object relationsThe third part of the "Outline of Psychoanalysis" succinctly recapitulates the general theoretical insights of late psychoanalytic theory–a concise summation of the preceding two sections. Through this translation, our objective is to initiate a series of translations and discussions centered around classical psychoanalytic texts.