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Bion: Hitherto we have been discussing matters for which I think there is very little, if any, scientific evidence. A hostile critic could easily say, “This is all pure imagination”. I would say, “Yes but I think it is time that ‘pure imagination’ was recognized as having a place in scientific work. If that is considered to be exclusive we had better reconsider a great deal of what passes for scientific work so that we may be quite sure that some of these extremely prestigious papers could not be classified more adequately as ‘science fiction’ than as scientific work – in the sense of formulations of the truth to which they are pretending to aspire”.
I think it is fair to assume that when a patient comes to us he sincerely means to speak the truth, but he may be unaware of the great difficulties involved. However, we should be aware of those difficulties and should not claim a higher status for our theories than is justified by a critical appreciation. Otherwise we could find ourselves trying to defend the indefensible.
To turn now from imaginative conjectures and rational conjectures to something for which I would claim rather more credibility. The language and theories of psychoanalysis are swept more and more into the domains of social discussion. I remember, when I was first at medical school, one used to hear socially about Father Figures, Oedipus Situations and the rest of what I can only call Freud's tomb furniture dug out of Freud's works. It sounded plausible and even learned. Today I think it has become still more widespread. We are all familiar with psychoanalysis which is much ‘improved’ but which is in fact based on an inadequate understanding of psychoanalytic theories. I think the instincts of psychoanalytic societies are right when so much emphasis is placed on individual psychoanalysis.
I want to draw your attention to a peculiar and doubtful situation which no single analyst can fully investigate – one doesn't live long enough. But if all of us are