The book explores the intricate connection between science and democracy, positing that scientists and the general public are united in a shared quest for truth. It challenges the notion of a strict separation between scientific inquiry and societal engagement, suggesting that both groups contribute to a collective understanding. The author emphasizes the importance of collaboration between experts and non-experts in fostering a more informed and democratic society.
This book explores the different ways in which psychoanalysis has been connected to various fields of Italian culture, such as literary criticism, philosophy and art history, as well as discussing scholars who have used psychoanalytical methods in their work. The areas discussed include: the city of Trieste, in chapters devoted to the author Italo Svevo and the artist Arturo Nathan; psychoanalytic interpretations of women terrorists during the anni di piombo; the relationships between the Freudian concept of the subconscious and language in philosophical research in Italy; and a personal reflection by a practising analyst who passes from literary texts to her own clinical experience. The volume closes with a chapter by Giorgio Pressburger, a writer who uses Freud as his Virgil in a narrative of his descent into a modern hell. The volume contains contributions in both English and Italian.