The Assault on TruthIn 1896, Sigmund Freud presented his revolutionary "seduction theory," arguing that acts of sexual abuse and violence inflicted on children are the direct cause of adult mental illness. Nine years later, Freud completely reversed his position, insisting that these sexual memories were actually fantasies that never happened. Why did Freud retract the seduction theory? And why has the psychoanalytic community gone to such lengths to conceal that retraction? In this landmark book, drawing on his unique access to formerly sealed and hidden papers, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson dares to uncover the truth about this critical turning point in Freud's career and its enduring impact on the theory and practice of psychoanalysis. The Assault on Truth reveals a reality that neither Freud nor his followers could bear to face. Bracing in its honesty, gripping in its revelations, this is the book that prompted Masson's break with the psychoanalytic community-and launched his subsequent brilliant career as an independent thinker and writer." |
Contents
| 5 | |
Conclusion | |
Afterword to the 1985 Edition | |
Freuds 1896 | |
Ferenczis 1932 | |
Postscript to the 1985 Edition | |
Postscript to the Pocket Edition | |
Notes | |
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Common terms and phrases
abuse of children accused adult Aetiology of Hysteria analysis Anna Freud believe bleeding Breuer Brouardel Charcot child sexual abuse childhood colleagues concemed critical difficult dream earlier early edition Eitingon Emma Eckstein Emma’s evidence fact fantasies father feelings Ferenczi field finally find findings first five Freud says Freud wrote Freud’s letters genital German girl happened hysterical symptoms important incest infantile sexual influence interest Jones Krafft-Ebing later letters to Fliess Lowenfeld masturbation memories morgue mother neurasthenia neurosis never Oedipus complex operation original paper parents Paris passage patients Paul Brouardel person phantasy psychiatry psychical psychoanalysis psychological puberty published rape reality remember repressed Robert Fliess Sandor Ferenczi scenes Schur scientific seduction hypothesis seduction theory seems sexual assaults sexual experiences sexual seduction sexual traumas significance specific Strachey Studies on Hysteria Tardieu technique tell told translation truth unconscious unpublished letter victims Vienna Wilhelm Fliess women word writes