Amplification of the concept of meaning as the validating principle in psychodynamic science.
In two previous articles by this author, the concept of psyche was given legitimate scientific status insofar as a necessarily new and unique scientific paradigm for psychodynamics was elaborated, stemming from the idea that positivistic science is not appropriate to the subjective data of psychoanalysis. This paradigm includes the idea that the concept of meaning as scientific validation is central to psychodynamic science. The concepts of erroneous meaning, synchronicity, and numinosity were introduced as aspects of this new scientific paradigm. In the present article, the complementary relationship between psychodynamic and traditional science is explored. The concepts of synchronicity, numiosity, and meaning are elaborated, together with discussion of the phenomenon of anxiety as it impinges on these dynamics. The concept of erroneous meaning is in this article separated from the concept of meaning itself through the idea that the activation of anxiety separates the two.
Brookes
Crittenden E
CE
D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy; D004532:Ego; D006801:Humans; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012660:Semantics