How arrogant, at this point, for neurologists and pharmaco-psychologists to
dismiss Freud, when they have so much trouble explaining concepts like
self-identity, sanity, or even pleasure! Indeed, from a present
perspective, Freud was largely wrong. But so was Darwin! If public
attention focussed upon Darwin's more absurd conclusions as much as it's
focussed upon Penis Envy, perhaps he would be held in similar regard. In
any case, Freud's id/ego/superego trichotomy is a crucial step in the
development of the philosophy of self. Today, informed by evolutionary
psychology and memetics, (and, yes, neurology) we can elaborate and refine
Freud's distinction, so that the original theory seems terribly primitive.
But, as with Darwin, to dismiss his work as irrelevant or merely literary
is crazy.
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J. Goard
http://www.foothill.net/~wyattoil
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Let your virtue be too exalted for the familiarity of
names, and if you must speak of it, be not ashamed to
stammer about it.
--Nietsche, _Thus Spoke Zarathustra_
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