Medard Boss
Encyclopedia
Medard Boss was a Swiss psychoanalytic psychiatrist who developed a form of psychotherapy
known as Daseinsanalysis
, which was largely based on the existential-phenomenological philosophy of friend and mentor Martin Heidegger
. During his medical studies he was strongly influenced by the psychiatrist
Eugen Bleuler
. Boss believed that modern medicine and psychology, premised on Cartesian
philosophy and Newtonian
physics, made incorrect assumptions about human beings and what it means to be human. He addressed an existential foundation for medicine and psychology in an eponymous text, Existential Foundations of Medicine and Psychology (1979).
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
known as Daseinsanalysis
Daseinsanalysis
Daseinsanalysis is an existentialist approach to psychoanalysis. It was developed by Ludwig Binswanger who heavily borrowed from Heidegger and applied his concepts such as Being-in-the-world to psychotherapy...
, which was largely based on the existential-phenomenological philosophy of friend and mentor Martin Heidegger
Martin Heidegger
Martin Heidegger was a German philosopher known for his existential and phenomenological explorations of the "question of Being."...
. During his medical studies he was strongly influenced by the psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Eugen Bleuler
Eugen Bleuler
Paul Eugen Bleuler was a Swiss psychiatrist most notable for his contributions to the understanding of mental illness and for coining the term "schizophrenia."-Biography:...
. Boss believed that modern medicine and psychology, premised on Cartesian
Cartesianism
Cartesian means of or relating to the French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes—from his name—Rene Des-Cartes. It may refer to:*Cartesian anxiety*Cartesian circle*Cartesian dualism...
philosophy and Newtonian
Newtonian
Newtonian refers to the work of Isaac Newton, in particular:* Newtonian mechanics, also known as classical mechanics* Newtonian telescope, a type of reflecting telescope* Newtonian cosmology* Newtonian dynamics...
physics, made incorrect assumptions about human beings and what it means to be human. He addressed an existential foundation for medicine and psychology in an eponymous text, Existential Foundations of Medicine and Psychology (1979).
Select bibliography
- Zollikon SeminarsZollikon SeminarsThe Zollikon Seminars were a series of philosophical seminars delivered between 1959 and 1969 by the German philosopher Martin Heidegger at the home of Swiss psychiatrist Medard Boss. The topic of the seminars was Heidegger's ontology and phenomenology as it pertained to the theory and praxis of...
: Protocols, Conversations, Letters (Editor; Martin Heidegger author) (2001). Tr. F. Mayr. Northwestern University PressNorthwestern University PressNorthwestern University Press is the university press of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, USA.- History :Northwestern University Press was founded in 1893, at first specializing in legal periodicals. Today, the Press publishes scholarly books of fiction, non-fiction, and literary...
. - Existential Foundations of Medicine and Psychology (1979). Tr. S. Conway and A. Cleaves. Northvale: Jason AronsonJason AronsonJason Aronson is an American publisher of books in the field of psychotherapy. Topics dealt with in these books include child therapy, family therapy, couple therapy, object relations therapy, play therapy, depression, eating disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse, sexual abuse, stress,...
. - Psychoanalysis and Daseinsanalysis (1963). Tr. L. E. Lefebre. New York: Basic Books.
- A Psychiatrist Discovers India (1965). Wolff.
- I Dreampt Last Night (1978). With Stephen Conway.
- The Analysis of Dreams (1957).