Discussion

IT IS A PLEASURE TO DISCUSS Dr. Basch's paper. The paper, in the spirit of his previous writings, speaks with both force and moderation of the potential of Kohut's self psychology to operate as a unifying theoretical framework. Within this framework, Basch believes, apparently disparate psychoanalytic models not only can coexist peacefully, but can even complement each other in illuminating the recesses of personality development and psychopathology.

Basch claims that Freud made one monumental discovery: the existence and power of unconscious motivation. This is the only aspect of his theory capable of confirmation by clinical observation, and it is one which continues to stand up to contemporary neurological research. Along with this discovery, unfortunately, came an equally monumental mistake: Freud's dual instinct theory, with its special emphasis on the central motivational role of psychosexuality. Never even a genuine psychological theory to begin with, the dual instinct theory is discredited by biologists, although it continues to attract Freudians like moths to a flame.

So, Basch argues, the future of psychoanalysis rests on our ability to detach ourselves from our fatal fascination with drive theory. In its place he offers an alternative formulation of motivation