Bion, Intuition and the Expansion of Psychoanalytic Theory

'This book sheds light on the phenomenon of intuition, so essential in psychoanalysis, but sometimes so forgotten. Through several individual articles, intuition is studied in numerous vertices that form a precious whole, a real gold mine where one glimpses precious nuggets to be collected. All this raises intuition to its true epistemological stature in the construction of knowledge about the unconscious mind and in science in general.'

Ruggero Levy, SPPA - Porto Alegre, Brazil

'In this brilliant and wide-ranging collection of papers, Bion’s concept of intuition functions as a portal to the infinite and emergent aspects of human experience. Drawing on philosophy, music, poetry, dreaming, and neuroscience, these essays elaborate Bion’s most enigmatic concepts – the language of achievement, the mystic, caesura, and negative capability – yet ground these theoretical discussions in sensitively described personal and clinical moments of transformation and becoming. This collection repositions psychoanalysis once again as a revolutionary endeavor, one that traverses the splits between the group and the individual, the self and the other, the known and unknowable. Enigmatic, allusive, and yet profoundly intuitive of what it means to be human and to feel and think in the face of the terror of the unknown and always changing, this collection is itself a memoir of the future of psychoanalysis.'

Thomas P. Helscher, Ph.D. FIPA , Training and Supervising Analyst, Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies (LAISPS), USA

'Bion, Intuition and the Expansion of Psychoanalytic Theory brings together some of the most influential international scholars of Wilfred Bion's thought. At the centre of the book is the concept of 'intuition', around which revolves a sophisticated theoretical and clinical elaboration. But readers will find that this new valuable contribution deals with several other exciting topics that are changing the landscape of contemporary psychoanalysis. I can only recommend it to all psychotherapists, psychoanalysts and scholars of human sciences.'

Giuseppe Civitarese, author of Sublime Subjects. Aesthetic Experience and Intersubjectivity in Psychoanalysis (2017), Routledge, and Training Analyst of the Italian Psychoanalytic Society (IPA), Italy.

'Intuition is of paramount importance in Bion’s early and late work. He gave it a different place in clinical practice according to the evolution of his ideas on psychic functioning and technique. This book explores the phenomenon of intuition in relation with Bion’s approach and does this from many angles: psychoanalytic practice, metapsychology, philosophy , poetry, science, music, supervision… All authors are distinguished analysts from different psychoanalytic cultures, having published widely about Bion’s work. It is wonderful to experience how Bion’s notions on intuition open up a large spectrum of experiences and idea’s, enriching clinical practice.'

Rudi Vermote, training analyst and past president of the Belgian Society. Author of Reading Bion (Routledge, 2019). Member of the Editorial Board and College of the IJPA and of the ING committee of the IPA.