When entering the domain of intentions, Dr. Freud delved specifically into the functioning of Daniel’s internal life. Put in older psychoanalytic terms, Daniel is reflecting on how childhood motives and aspirations that were originally driven by primitive “Id” desires and later modified by “Super-ego”-based parental and societal prohibitions, are being modified and made more “mature” and adaptive by Daniel’s ego function. However, we must ask which Dr. Freud is showing up for the coaching of Daniel. The old Sigmund Freud would not trust Daniel’s identification of his intentions. While this identification could engage Daniel’s ego in some very important accessing of deeply held dreams, hopes and fears, the old Freud would suggest that the ego is being engaged instead to elude the irrationality of the “real” intentions of Daniel (which were created and instilled during childhood).
As noted in a recently published book by Adam Phillips (Phillips, 2026; Kaag,2026), the pragmatism of someone like William James and, more recently, Richard Rorty, might not have yet penetrated the belief system of our contemporary Sig Freud. Can we actually recognize and move beyond these primitive intentions. Is it possible that psychoanalysis and pragmatism can “expose and renew each other”? (Kaag, 2026, p. N1o). As Phillips suggests, the deep probing of original intentions (psychoanalysis) might be “necessary preparation” for a do-able clarification of mature intentions (pragmatism) (Kaag, 2026, p. N10). While Phillips is not sure that this interplay between psychoanalysis and pragmatism can be successfully engaged, I would suggest that a bridge might have been built between psychoanalysis and pragmatism by those psychoanalysts who portrayed a much more powerful ego that the old Sigmund Freud envisioned.
Some of the ego psychologists write about something called “secondary autonomy” (Hartman, 1958). They are referring to the primitive motives and aspirations of early childhood that can be retained and modified in adulthood. They are now being driven by mature (“secondary”) needs that operate independently (“autonomy”) of the primitive needs. Following in the pragmatic footsteps of William James, a noted American psychologist, Gordon Allport (1937), identified a similar process that he labeled “functional autonomy.” If the new Dr. Freud has been influenced at all by William James, Gordon Allport or his ego psychological colleagues, then he might be prepared to help Daniel with his intentions. Dr. Freud could help Daniel explore not just the newly emerging motives in his life but also some of the motives and aspirations of his childhood that are still valid, though intended to meet a new set of intentions.
Regarding the domain of ideas, Dr. Freud is helping Daniel move from his current dilemmas and messes (nested dilemmas) to future, compelling images of what can be done to achieve the mature intentions that Daniel has identified. Engaging his ego function, Daniel identifies intermediate steps to be taken, ways to “pilot test” alternative ideas, and the liberation of existing barriers to creativity and free choice.
Lesson Two: Values Revealed in the Objects “On Our Shelf”
Daniel notes that Dr. Freud has many objects on the large bookshelf in his office. Dr. Freud, himself, comments on these objects and suggests that these objects can be a comfort to him when facing challenging situations. I bring in Lou Breger, another of my colleagues (and valued mentor), who has written one of the definitive biographies about Sigmund Freud (Breger, 2000). Breger offers the following brief description (Breger, 2000, p. 29). Freud had a “revealing habit of bringing his latest purchase of an antiquity, usually a small statue, to the dinner table and placing it in front of him as a companion during the meal”.
