Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2017, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (1): 1-32.

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A Genealogy of Modern Confession: Confessor and Life World(I)

SUN Feiyu   

  1. Department of Sociology, Peking University
  • Online:2017-01-20 Published:2017-01-20
  • Supported by:

    This paper was supported by the project "New Schools of Phenomenological Sociology and Its Applied Study on Grass-Roots Society"(13CSH005),which was sponsored by the National Social Science Fund

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Abstract:

By examining the phenomenon of modern confessor, this paper attempts to reach a better understanding of the term of "life world" as well as of modern sociology as a phenomenon. Paul Ricoeur's application of phenomenology to explain psychoanalysis is discussed in order to construct a framework of confession analysis in the history of social thoughts. Ricoeur dealt with the affinity in theory and methodology between Husserl's phenomenology and Freudian psychoanalysis, nevertheless he did so as a philosopher, not a social theorist. Foucault's analysis of confession phenomenon is also examined for the purpose of concentrating our discussion of confession under the theoretical tradition of classical psychoanalysis. Foucault considered confession as a subject that could uncover the relation between Subjectivity and Truth under modernity. Foucault was interested in the question of whether phenomenology could be explored for understanding irrationality, which for him was the key issue of understanding modern humans. Foucault centered his confession discussion on sexuality, circling us back to Freudian psychoanalysis. From there, the paper examines the free association method in Freudian conversation therapy and its theoretical background. A comparison of Freud's conversation therapy and Husserl's works is then made to gain a phenomenological and sociological understanding of Freudian confession.

Key words: the free association method, confession, conversation therapy, life world