Heidegger and Post-Cartesian Psychoanalysis: A Book Discussion of Robert Stolorow's “World, Affectivity, Trauma: Heidegger and Post-Cartesian Psychoanalysis”

In his important new book, Stolorow brings his acumen, training, and insight to bear on the fundamental interaction between psychoanalytic practice and theoretical reflection. As a psychoanalyst and philosopher, Stolorow is well placed to chart a path that bridges the worlds of clinical practice and philosophical thinking—disciplinary worlds that are too often seen as separate or opposed. In World, Affectivity and Trauma, Stolorow builds on previous writings that have introduced readers

to the phenomenology of emotional trauma (Stolorow, 2007) and the work of the German philosopher, Martin Heidegger (2002, with George Atwood and Donna Orange). The aim of his book is twofold: to demonstrate how Heidegger's existential philosophy can enrich post-Cartesian psychoanalysis and to show how post-Cartesian psychoanalysis can enrich Heidegger's philosophy.

Stolorow takes his readers on a journey that seamlessly combines the disciplines of psychoanalysis with philosophy, and in the process breaks down the boundaries that have long stood in the way of a productive exchange of ideas and practice. This is a notable achievement that speaks to the veracity of Stolorow's writing and to his ability to render comprehensible complex theories and concepts. I encourage practitioners who traditionally shy away from philosophy to read this book. In contrast to Heidegger, his philosophical mentor, Stolorow writes in a highly readable manner. This is noteworthy, since Heidegger's work has long been considered especially difficult for Anglo-American readers not familiar with the tradition of continental philosophy. Stolorow provides his readers with an accessible introduction to many of the key ideas in Heidegger's early philosophy, principally as laid out in his magnum opus, Being and Time. Stolorow's clear and precise prose, his mastery of the subject matter, and the wealth of clinical experience and personal reflection make this an excellent interdisciplinary guide to the worlds of cont