Cooper sees the dilemma under discussion as related to an attempt to define the scope of psychoanalysis, and he argues for leaving it as open as possible. He underlines one particularly provocative idea from the conference at which these issues were discussed, namely, whether the oedipal phase is important because of the centrality of sexuality or because of the capacity for a new cognitive, narrative organization. While supporting the continued collection of data to test our theories, he reminds us that new theories come from the creative activity of theorists, not from data, in a process we know little about. He reviews the problems we have with our language and says we need a new one that will more clearly express our ideas.