Consciousness, Language, and Self: Psychoanalytic, Linguistic

Consciousness, Language, and Self argues that the human self is innately bilingual, with the mother tongue beginning in utero and the second language beginning in infancy. It describes the respective roles of the two conscious mental processes and their particular use of language in normal and pathological development, as well as the role of the language of primordial consciousness in adult life. Five original essays by the authors' current and former patients describe their aberrant uses of language and their origins. This book sheds new light on controversies about language, psychoanalysis, and cognitive philosophy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 18 April 2018
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Consciousness, Language, and Self presents a groundbreaking theory that posits the inherent bilingual nature of the human self. Within the conscious mind, there exist two distinct mental processes, each employing different formal elements of language in unique ways. The mother tongue, the language of primordial consciousness, emerges during prenatal development, while the second language, reflective symbolic thought, begins to form in infancy.

Michael Robbins, in his insightful exploration, delves into the roles played by these two conscious mental processes and their distinctive language usage in the course of normal and pathological development. He also highlights the significance of the language of primordial consciousness in adult life, encompassing phenomena such as dreaming, infant-caregiver attachment, creativity, belief systems, and their profound impact on social and political life, cultural differences, and psychosis. Examples cited include creative individuals, extreme political figures, and psychotic individuals.

To further enrich the understanding of these topics, this book includes five original essays written by the authors' current and former patients. These essays offer firsthand accounts of their aberrant language usage and provide insights into their origins. By challenging the prevailing assumption that reflective representational thought and its language are the sole conscious mental states, Consciousness, Language, and Self offers a fresh perspective on several controversies within linguistics, psychoanalysis, cognitive philosophy, and cultural anthropology.

This groundbreaking work will be of immense value to psychoanalysts, students, and scholars alike in the fields of linguistics, cognitive philosophy, and cultural anthropology. It provides a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the complex interplay between consciousness, language, and the self, shedding light on the profound implications of these phenomena for our understanding of human nature and the world around us.

Weight: 290g
Dimension: 237 x 162 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138487642