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A philosopher of science who has been considering the problems of evaluating the scientific status of Freudian psychoanalysis for some years, Edward Erwin, presents us with an ambitiously titled book. He seems to feel ready to give final answers to persistent questions such as: Are Freud's theories testable? By what criteria and methods should they be tested? Which of them (if any) has been confirmed? Has Freud's therapeutic method been proved effective? What are the prospects for research findings more satisfactory to psychoanalysts in the future?
His verdicts on the substantive issues are quickly summarized: Freudian psychoanalytic treatment has not been shown to be superior to any other form of psychotherapy; indeed, there are no data that Erwin finds credible that it is better than no treatment or than a placebo. As to the theory, he reports that virtually none of it has been confirmed, nor could he find any indications that these verdicts are likely to change. After a full century, psychoanalysis cannot be considered an infant science, and the psychological research literature devoted to it already comprises about 1,500 items. Hence the title's claim to finality.
As to the methodological questions, however, Erwin's deliberations about them take up almost half of the book, and are not so easily summarized. Nevertheless, how one feels about his gloomy verdicts will obviously depend a great deal on one's readiness to accept the principles and criteria that guided him. Here is where my main reservations about a generally valuable book lie.