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The origins of modern dynamic psychology spring from the theorizing and speculation of Freud. Because the underlying assumptions of Freud's psychological system are derived from Aristotelian-based ideas about the function of things present in the world, it will prove worthwhile to review the history of these ideas before Freud. The following thumbnail sketch is, of course, a much simplified account of highly complex developments in the history of ideas. Though it ignores countercurrents and certain nuances in the development of scientific thinking, I believe that it is valid and may serve as a basis for the broader discussion of the influence of philosophy on Freudian psychology.
Aristotle's thinking grew in opposition to the ideas of Plato, whose statements about reality were dialectically conceived. Plato's logic based its major premise on the subjective opinion of the individual and did not have to be rooted in empirical observation. Aristotle, in contrast to Plato, developed his notions along lines we now term demonstrative thinking. This was based on determining reality to be what can be perceived by the five senses, then organized in a linear, logical fashion, and then a resultant statement could be issued based on this empirically grounded experience. Dialectic reasoning, on the other hand, does not depend on what can be grasped by the five senses for its starting point; rather, there is reliance on the “truth” value of the idea as a projection of mind. It could be assumed, then, that the major premises differ in derivation, so that the outcomes of utilizing these two processes are bound to be different (Rychlak, 1970). The “war” between the dialectical and demonstrative approaches has been waged in Western society since the ancient Greeks, and we are witnesses to some of that continuing struggle within the field of Western psychology.