The Contributions of Modern Thought to a Psychoanalytic Phenomenology of Groups

The present study examines the parallels that can be drawn between psychoanalysis and modern trends in philosophy, notably existentialism and social philosophy, in their analysis of social phenomena, and argues that modern philosophy can contribute in a vital way to the development of a psychoanalytic phenomenology of the group.

Focus first is on the contribution of existentialism. Developing in reaction to the totalitarian trends of the twentieth century, existentialism analyzes man's freedom, the depersonalization he suffers under absolute structures, and his openness toward others. Then, the contribution of social philosophy, which sees man's existence as coexistence, is discussed. The insights provided by philosophical investigation help us to better understand the pathological genesis and development of collective egos. They shed light on the nature of relationships within and among groups, between the individual and the community, between unity and plurality. Finally, they can provide us with tools to understand the relationship between the mother group and the subgroups within it, as well as

the authentic/unhealthy interaction occurring between the collective self and the collective nonself. Such an analysis can elucidate the reasons for which groups engage in possessive, destructive aggression or in peaceful, constructive empathy.