Epistemological theories represent the foundation of clinical practice, enabling therapists to understand their own work better. At the same time, they are also fundamental to the self-image of a science or academic discipline in finding and keeping its place within the scientific and scholarly community. These points are particularly important for psychoanalysis, as the field has many collaborating partners, ranging from neurobiology to literary studies& and also because its scientific status is still disputed. This volume positions psychoanalysis epistemologically, but at the same time shows that it follows its own unmistakable epistemological pathway.

Prof. Rolf-Peter Warsitz is a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy, as well as psychosomatic medicine, and teaches social therapy, philosophical anthropology and psychoanalytic theory at the University of Kassel.Prof. Joachim Küchenhoff is a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy, as well as psychosomatic medicine, and is Professor of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Basel and Director of Adult Psychiatry at Basselland Psychiatry.