The Dream of Reason

Glossing back at the horizon of modernity, Reason proclaimed itself as the victor over Religion. We could say, with little exaggeration, that in the new era scientific reason came to occupy the seat of a de-throwned God. Christianity came to represent dogma—authoritative opinion that was groundless—irrational. The advent of scientific reason embraced by the courageous. Galileo writes, "For in the sciences the authority of thousands of opinions is not worth as much as one tiny spark of reason in an individual man."

Reason understood in modernity (pitted against religion) has a dinstictive character. It was not just a matter of understanding or observation; it referenced scientific inferences based on measurement, quantification and demonstration—all things religion could not provide.

Fast forwarding to the beginning of the 20th century—Freud’s dreamed of a scientific psychology. Metaphysically speaking, this meant humans would be understood as ‘thinking things.’ The therapist became the scientist/observer and the patient the observed/object. It was argued that the therapist had a special vantage point—thus in a position to communicate insight that would correct for distortions in the patient’s self-understanding.

In accordance with Freud’s dream, psychoanalysts were figures of the Enlightenment. They were ‘men of reason,’ capable of divorcing themselves from emotion, and coming to conclusions in a manner that is unbiased, logical and scientific. Freud sought to prevent the intrusion of the therapist’s own beliefs and morals in the otherwise scientific investigation. Morality became a matter of perspective and it was hence morally relative. On the other hand, Freud understood his psychological findings as having the character of science—factual, objective, and universal--valid for any time and place. In short, modern reason pitted science against ethics, rationality against emotion, and the mind against body.

The scientific community was granted an aire of authority. The scientific method—in theory—was a tool that was not subject to human error. It was idealized as the means toward the betterment of mankind. Opportunities to marvel at our own intelligence have been endless—whether it be the extension of the average lifespan, putting a man on the moon, or perhaps regrettably as an afterthought, creating weapons of mass destruction. We note with great pride, “We have come so far.” Modernity has inaugurated what I call the great “we.’ “We” are invited to feel secure aboard the ship of this great enterprise. We wait eagerly for the next authoritative statement from the scientists of the mind. And we experience it as awesome, a testament to our faith in modern enlightened reason.

This is the first of a series of four blogs on reason. The next will discuss the post-Enlightenment response to modern reason which Freud also embodies in his statement “The ego is not the master of it’s own house.”

Find out more about Dr. Stephen L Salter and his colleagues. http://www.artistsoftheunconscious.com