Some Applications of Psycho-analysis. By Dr. Oscar Pfister. (George Allen
and Unwin. 16s. net.) Some Applications of Psycho-analysis. By Dr. Oscar Pfister. (George Allen and Unwin. 16s. net.)
There can be nothing but praise for Dr. Pfister's newly translated work, Some Applications of Psycho-analysis. The author is a Protestant divine and not a medical man, therefore his work attracts a wider public than that which interests itself in psycho-pathology from an exclusively medical view- point. The work is scrupulously scientific and intensely critical—clearly the work of a trained philosopher. The analytical method is applied to Metaphysics and Philosophy, Creative Art, Child Life and Mission Work (by which the author implies the propagation of the Christian Ethos rather than Christian Dogma). The first section of the book is called Psycho-analysis, a Psychological Method, and is largely concerned with tracing out the relative position which Psycho- analysis bears to " Academic " Psychology on the one hand, and strict " Experimental " Psychology on the other. This section of the book shows how a stricter, more precise ter- minology would simplify psychological discussions and avoid many misconceptions. We would very tentatively suggest the following terminology as being suitable. The so-called New Psyc.hology (by which is meant that system of psychology which has developed out of and around the pioneer researches of Professor Freud) we should call "Psychology" simply, since it has much more claim to be a Science of the Soul than any other method of scientific approach. Orthodox Academic Psychology we should designate as "Mental Philosophy," and for the experimental Psychology, which primarily concerns itself with the study of the senses, we should coin the term " Metaphysiology." Dr. Pfister has admirably demonstrated that " Psycho4y " can proudly hold up its head as a noble compeer of "Mental Philosophy" and " Metaphysiology," and is contributing more than its share towards 'solving the riddle of Universal Truth.
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