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Under psychoanalytic problems one can understand problems which have arisen within the psychoanalytic investigation itself and there await solution, as also problems which have arisen from psychoanalysis, but for their complete understanding need in part the addition of another method of investigation and in part other, possibly social, measures for their practical solution.
At first I should like to discuss some fundamental problems of the psychoanalytic investigation itself, that is, attempt to throw light on certain questions of principle which already have arisen within psychoanalysis but are yet problematical or have again become so in the light of newer knowledge.
From the rich problem-sphere which psychoanalysis has opened up for our mental life, I shall try further to put forward the problems which appear to me most essential with the purpose of marking out the limitations of the psychoanalytic theory and therapy. On the other hand, I intend, so far as is possible at the present time, to make the psychoanalytic view fruitful for the understanding of phenomena which already lie beyond the boundaries recognized as constitution and milieu. I think these obvious limitations need special emphasis because I am convinced that much well meant labor is wasted in the well meaning endeavor to apply psychoanalytic points of view to theoretical as well as to practical problems where they are insufficient.
If such problems within psychoanalysis have hitherto never really been raised, it is because of a difficulty which indeed I cannot remove but can only formulate, and with this make the first step to its overcoming.