Toward a Pragmatist Acknowledgment of the Freudian Unconscious

Abstract

This author argues here that Peirce’s approach to the unconscious is closer to Freud’s psychoanalytic orientation than James’s “functional” psychology. The cultural as well as theoretical context in which the question of the unconscious was addressed by these three thinkers is sketched. Moreover, Peirce’s critique of James’s psychology, as put forth in his review ofThe Principles of Psychology, is examined. Indeed, this critical notice is an important part of the theoretical context. Finally, the philosophical upshot of these historical and exegetical considerations is highlighted at the conclusion of this essay. This upshot concerns how Peirce understood the nature of mind.