A philosophical ontogenetic standpoint on superego role in human mind formation

ABSTRACT: One of the most significant contributions of psychoanalysis to understand the human being is the elaboration of a model about the mind from a topical and dynamic perspective. Freud explains the mind by the constitution of the preconscious, conscious, and subconscious. Later, by three dynamic components: the id, the ego and the superego. Such an organization of the psychic apparatus supposes not only individual elements, but social influences along the process of hominization. In this paper, we recover the findings of the renowned anthropologist Lewis Morgan, trying to link some of them to the psychoanalytic theory. Especially highlighting the importance of superego in Haidt’s social intuitionism.

Keywords: evolutionism, intuitionism, psychoanalysis, Freud, Haidt, Morgan