Leon Balter, M.D. Discusses The Work of Bertram D. Lewin at NYPSI

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CLASSIC PAPERS SERIES

Tuesday
May 3, 2011
8:30 pm

Leon Balter, M.D. Discusses The Work of Bertram D. Lewin*

Bertram Lewin was a member of the pre-World War II generation of New York psychoanalysts.  He was one of the very few that were not eclipsed by the massive influx of the illustrious European analysts before and during the War.  His stature in American psychoanalysis remained high until his death in 1971.  Many factors contributed to his sustained eminence.  One of them was the publication of his monograph The Psychoanalysis of Elation (1950).  Another was his very thorough and perceptive survey: Psychoanalytic Education in the United States (with Helen Ross, 1960).  But probably the greatest reason for his notoriety in psychoanalysis was the publication of his many papers characterized by their originality, erudition, astonishing scope, and sheer intellectual brilliance.  Many who knew him personally were impressed by his wry, clever sense of humor.  His publications demonstrate this quality.  It is hoped that discussion of the few papers listed below will evoke again, forty years after his death, the same affectionate and intellectual appreciation.

Dr. Balter is a Training and Supervising Analyst at NYPSI and an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  His publications address the psychology of artistic apprehension (particularly cinema), group psychology, and psychoanalytic methodology.

The Lewin papers below may all be found in Arlow, J.A.  Ed. (1973) Selected Writings of Bertram D. Lewin.  New York: The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.

*Papers to be discussed:

*Lewin, B.  (1939)  Some observations on knowledge, belief and the impulse to know.  Int. J. Psycho-Anal 20:426-431.  Also in Arlow (1973): pp. 313-319.

*Lewin, B.  (1948)  The nature of reality, the meaning of nothing, with an addendum on concentration.  Psychoanal. Q.17:524-526.  Also in Arlow (1973): pp. 320-322.

*Lewin, B.  (1965)  Teaching and the beginnings of theory.  Int. J. Psycho-Anal 46:137-139.  Also in Arlow (1973): pp. 545-550.

*Lewin, B. and Bunker, H.A.  A psychoanalytic notation on the root GN, KN, CN.  In: Psychoanalysis and Culture.  Eds. G. Wilbur and W. Muenssterberger.  New York: Intern. Universities Press, Inc. pp. 363-367.  Also in Arlow (1973): pp. 323-328.

Supplemental papers:

Lewin, B.  (1970)  The train ride: A study of one of Freud’s figures of speech.  Psychoanal. Q. 39:71-89.  Also in Arlow (1973): pp. 369-384.

Lewin, B.  (1958)  Dreams and the Uses of Regression.  New York: Intern. Universities Press, Inc.  Also in Arlow (1973): pp. 329-352.

Biographical papers:

Kubie, L.  (1973)  Bertram D. Lewin (1896-1971) – The renaissance cosmopolite with tongue in cheek.  Psychoanal. Study Child 28:1-16.

Arlow, J.A.  (1973)  The examined life: In tribute to Bertram D. Lewin – (1896-1971)  Int. J. Psycho-Anal 54:103-109.

Thompson, N.L.  (2010)  Karl Abraham in New York: The contributions of Bertram D. Lewin.  Psychoanalysis and History 12:85-96.

* The 4 papers to be discussed will be available in the library at NYPSI.  Call 212-879-6900 to obtain copies before the discussion.

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