The notion of truth in psychoanalysis and in philosophy of science

• Grant number: 16/03096-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: December 04, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Social Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Nelson da Silva Junior
• Grantee: Paulo Antonio de Campos Beer
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psicologia (IP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/09753-5 - The political dimension of a notion of truth, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Among the many tension points found in the effort of stablishing a productive debate between psychoanalysis and science, the notion of truth emerges as an object of great complexity. Such complexity derives from the fact of it being a central notion to both philosophy of science, that has in it a horizon which performs as a methodological point of reference, as to psychoanalysis, that has in the question of the truth a recurrent subject that contains in itself not only an element for thinking the theory , but also a clinical operator. This research aims to investigate notions of truth found in psychoanalysis and the one in philosophy of science, taking as main references the works of the psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan and of the philosopher of science Ian Hacking. To accomplish that, it is firstly necessary to map the truth notions present in each one of the authors, taking their epistemological influences into account. It is also necessary to deal with the fact that, in Lacan, such notion goes through important modifications along his work, being presented as unveiling, as cause, or even as equivoque, for example. To Hacking, it is also an elaborated notion, with which the author proposes a subversion of how it is usually presented in philosophy of science, affirming that the truth is more likely to be found in the actions effects rather than in theoretical constructs. In this way, investigating this notion seems to be a productive effort, aiming to develop the debate between psychoanalysis and science.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BEER, PAULO. From negation to negationism: the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOCIAL STUDIES, v. 14, n. 3, p. 15-pg., 2021-10-01. (18/09753-5, 16/03096-7)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BEER, Paulo Antonio de Campos. The question of truth in the production of knowledge about psychic suffering: considerations inspired by a critical reading of Ian Hacking and Jacques Lacan. 2020. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Psicologia (IP/SBD) São Paulo.