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It has been noted by Kenneth Lambert that there are two kinds of psychological language: one that appeals to the intellect; the other to the imagination. The strength of the former style is the coherence of its theoretical notions. The language of the imagination is persuasive in the accuracy with which it can evoke subtle inner experiences. It is in this style that ‘Kant's Dove' makes an impact rather than through an approach belonging to any analytic school. Using the history of the transference as a starting point, Carotenuto considers the essence of the primary relationship between analyst and patient from the analyst's view. It is difficult to think clearly about a subject that has to tolerate the symbiotic level of relating with its endemic sense of confusion between I and thou, or which feelings belong to whom, or in whom they are originating. It is particularly difficult to think about the analyst's input, and in clear theoretical terms. Carotenuto manages this. His focus on the analyst's transference is a new slant and his fluent evocative style is unmarred by the translation.
The link between the book's theme and the title, Kant's Dove, is a speculative thought by the philosopher that a dove might consider the resistance of the air an obstacle and imagine that it would more easily get on with its flight in a vacuum. Such has been the attitude to the transference/countertransference phenomenon. Historically there has always been resistance to recognizing that transference is the very air needed for effective therapy. As far back as the 1780s Mesmer, the first of many attempting to understand transference phenomena, conceived of a magnetic fluid at work to explain his excessive power over his patients. Something we may ridicule now. However, the route by which we have come to our present regard for the transference has continued to be problematical and circuitous, with its being ignored, regarded as an unfortunate occurrence or explained in other terms, that