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Foreign bodies; or, how did Darwin invent the symptom?
1University of Western Ontario.
Victorian Studies
|February 8, 2011
Summary
This study explores Darwin's theories on involuntary behavior and sexual selection, revealing links to his views on race and Lamarckian inheritance. It highlights how these concepts appear as foreign elements within Darwin's own scientific framework.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Psychoanalytic Theory
- History of Science
Background:
- Examines the influence of Charles Darwin's writings on Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories, specifically the concept of the hysterical symptom.
- Analyzes Darwin's seminal works: "The Origin of Species," "The Descent of Man," and "The Expression of the Emotions."
Observation:
- Investigates Darwin's theories on involuntary expressive behavior and aesthetic preferences in sexual selection.
- Identifies a connection between these theories and Darwin's conceptualization of racial differences.
- Highlights Darwin's reliance on the inheritance of acquired characteristics (Lamarckianism) in his explanations.
Findings:
- Darwin's theories on behavior and sexual selection are intrinsically linked to his views on race.
- These theories incorporate Lamarckian ideas of inherited habits, presenting them as instincts.
- The essay argues these concepts function as "foreign bodies" within Darwin's broader scientific work.
Implications:
- Provides a novel interpretation of Darwin's theories by examining them through a psychoanalytic lens.
- Challenges conventional understandings of Darwinism by highlighting internal theoretical tensions.
- Offers insights into the historical development of evolutionary thought and its relationship with psychoanalysis.
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