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Dr. Walsh's paper concentrates on a particular genetic aspect of the ethical influence on Freud's psychoanalytic thought. Any inquiry regarding determinants of Freud's thought is always of interest. Whether this influence was cryptomnesic or not is, to me, of little importance. There is little doubt that Freud had been exposed to Greek thinkers.
As I read Walsh's paper, faint doubts developed into persistent questions. One was: Why Pythagoras? Whatever else the Pythagoreans may have contributed, I could recall no major ethical theory attributable to them. Had I forgotten or overlooked some important phase in the history of ethics? A hasty perusal of several handy texts and a couple of encyclopedias seemed to confirm my memory. One book (Albert, Denise and Peterfreund, Great Traditions in Ethics, American Book Co., New York) does not even mention Pythagoras. The other references make short shrift of Pythagorean ethical contributions. Perhaps Dr. Walsh is correct in indicating that Pythagoras' importance in this area has been overlooked. I, for one, would be unable to decide between the various authorities, and can only advise a caveat.
There is a deceptive ingenuousness about the genetic approach. Dr. Walsh is not unaware of this—the principle of multiple determination. However, the history of psychoanalysis, as that of every other discipline, is filled with examples of tendencies to overemphasize one particular causal factor and minimize or neglect others. (This observation is not to detract from Walsh's speculations and suggestions, which represent a very worthwhile first approach.) Further study
of psychoanalytic ethical principles, in relation to the wider field of ethics, would be of great interest.
Walsh also takes up the cudgels for psychoanalytic standards, and in particular emphasizes the significance of justice, honesty and integrity. Who would admit to not practicing these virtues? The problem—as the history of ethics shows—is how to define and understand