A philosophical examination of recent clinical and theoretical psychoanalysis

The philosophy of psychoanalysis is distinguished from psychoanalysis. An account of psychoanalysis is developed in progressively more detail. Recently published material is assessed, e.g., Bion's. Some older literature objects to an inaccurate account of psychoanalysis. This problem is avoided by treating the content and method of psychoanalysis as inseparable.Psychoanalytic propositions have unequal epistemic warrant. Support and objections are found in psychoanalysis and extra-clinically.Philosophical assessments are tied to the inherent features of both classical and contemporary psychoanalytic practice. Clinical psychoanalysis has interrelated procedures which continue to evolve. Both older and modern psychoanalysis have extra-clinical features and use concepts which have emerged from the clinical situation.Modern clinical practice is distinguished. The evolved knowledge of countertransference, transference, projective identification, and interpretation are among its features. The analyst's function in the dyad is stressed and illustrated with recent cases.The expanded clinical application to patients previously judged unanalyzable has produced modifications in theory. Theory is kept to a minimum and consists of flexibly linked concepts. They are a consistent development of recent practice. Some older concepts are inconsistent