Dialogues with the Amorphous Inner: An Action-Theoretical Approach to Psychoanalysis
摘要
This work explores the concept of the amorphous inner self within the context of action-theoretical psychoanalysis, drawing on the writings of Boesch and other theorists. The amorphous inner self represents the unconscious or unexpressed parts of the self, often characterized by displaced fantasms of longing and threat, which shape an individual’s patterns of conduct and their self-concept. The text argues that these internal aspects cannot be accessed in isolation but are revealed and updated through concrete interactions within specific fields of action, particularly in dialogical contexts. Psychotherapy is highlighted as one potential field for the restructuring of the amorphous inner self, where therapists facilitate the reflexive processing of these fantasms. However, the work emphasizes that these processes also occur in everyday relationships, such as with friends and family, where small but significant dialogues allow for the ongoing negotiation and integration of the inner foreignness into the self-concept. The importance of dialogue is underscored, as it provides the necessary conditions for the amorphous inner self to be structured and redefined, both in terms of personal growth and personality development. Ultimately, the text argues that the amorphous inner self plays a crucial role not only in the context of psychopathology but also in broader processes of self-actualization and identity formation.