Abstract
This paper explores the concepts of tact and empathy in the context of the Freud–Ferenczi correspondence around Ferenczi’s “The Elasticity of Psycho-Analytic Technique” paper. It goes on to explore the problems that they encounter in the neighborhood of reconciling science and subjectivity, in relation to the work on personal knowledge of the Hungarian philosopher Michael Polanyi and concludes with some implications for psychoanalytic training.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balint, M. (2002). The crisis of medical practice. American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 62 (1), 7–15, (Original work published 1930 in Gyógyászat, translated by Judith Dupont).
Borgogno, F. (2001). Elasticity of technique: The psychoanalytic project and the trajectory of Ferenczi’s life. American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 61 (4), 391–407.
Dorsey, J. (1976). An American psychiatrist in Vienna, 1935–1937, and his Sigmund Freud. Detroit, MI: Center for Health Education.
Dupont, J. (1988). Introduction. In S. Ferenczi (1932), J. Dupont (Ed.) The clinical diary of Sándor Ferenczi (pp. xi–xxvii), M. Balint & N. Z. Jackson (Trans.) Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (First published in French in 1985).
Ferenczi, S. (1928). The elasticity of psycho-analytic technique. In Final contributions to the problems and methods of psycho-analysis (pp. 87–101). London: Karnac Books, 1994.
Ferenczi, S. (1932). The clinical diary of Sándor Ferenczi. In J. Dupont (Ed.), M. Balint & N. Z. Jackson (Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1988. (First published in French in 1985).
Freud, S. (1923). Two encyclopaedia articles. Standard Edition (Vol. 18, pp. 233–260). London: Hogarth.
Freud, S. (1925). An autobiographical study. Standard Edition (Vol. 20, pp. 1–74). London: Hogarth.
Freud, S. & Ferenczi, S. (1920–1933). The Correspondence of Sigmund Freud and Sándor Ferenczi. Volume 3: 1920–1933. Edited by E. Falzeder, & E. Brabant with the collaboration of P. Giampieri-Deutsch. Transl. P. T. Hoffer. Supervising editor: Andre E. Haynal. With an Introduction by Judith Dupont. Cambridge, MA & London: England: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2000.
Glover, E. (1927). Lectures on technique in psycho-analysis. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 8 (4), 486–520.
Kernberg, O.F. (1996). Thirty methods to destroy the creativity of psychoanalytic candidates. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 77 (5), 1031–1040.
Kernberg, O.F. (2000). A concerned critique of psychoanalytic education. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 81 (1), 97–120.
King, P. & Steiner, R. (Eds.) (1991). The Freud—Klein controversies 1941–45. London: Routledge.
Lipton, S.D. (1977). The advantages of Freud’s technique as shown in his analysis of the Rat Man. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 58 (2), 255–273.
Pigman, G.W. (1995). Freud and the history of empathy. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 76 (2), 237–256.
Polanyi, M. (1958). Personal knowledge. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Polanyi, M. (1963). Science and religion. Philosophy Today, 7 (1), 4–14.
Polanyi, M. (1966). The tacit dimension. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company.
Polanyi, M. (1969). Knowing and being. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
Reik, T. (1949). The inner experience of a psychoanalyst. London: George Allen and Unwin.
Sharpe, E. (1930). The technique of psycho-analysis. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 11 (3), 251–277.
Wahl, C.W. (1966). Edward Glover: Theory of technique. In F. Alexander, S. Eisenstein & M. Grotjahn (Eds.) Psychoanalytic pioneers (pp. 501–507). New York: Basic Books.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Paper presented at the conference: “Sincerity and freedom in psychoanalysis: A studio conference inspired by Sándor Ferenczi’s Clinical Diary,” October 2013, Freud Museum, London.
1Ken Robinson is a psychoanalyst in private practice in Newcastle upon Tyne, a member and Honorary Archivist of the British Psychoanalytical Society and Visiting Professor of Psychoanalysis at Northumbria University. He is a training analyst for child and adolescent and adult psychotherapy in the North of England and lectures, teaches and supervises in the United Kingdom and Europe. His latest publications include Sándor Ferenczi—Ernest Jones: Letters 1911–1933 edited with Ferenc Erős and Judith Szekacs-Weisz (Karnac, 2013) and a forthcoming essay: “The Ins and Outs of Listening as a Psychoanalyst”, in Empedocles: European Journal for the Philosophy of Communication. He has also contributed the introduction to the first volume of the forthcoming collected works of Winnicott to be published by Oxford University Press.
