BEYOND ARISTOTLE, BREUER AND FREUD: MORENO'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONCEPT OF CATHARSIS

Abstract

Social scientists have traditionally been looked down upon by physical scientists and, to a considerable extent, are so today. The reasons are numerous, the major one being that according to the detractors social science continues to be an admixture of art with science, therefore not "pure" science. To illustrate the fallacy in this type of thinking, allow me to share with you a small fable I have written a la Aesop or Jonathan Swift, with, of course, proper apologies to these illustrious poets. It is called "Barney, the Insightful Bumblebee."

Once there was a little bumblebee known as Barney who spent all his wake life flying and being lightwinged. One day he made friends with a mathematician. This mathematician really enjoyed his friendship with Barney but gradually Barney noticed that his friend was frequently more and more morose. So he decided to ask him what he, Barney, had done to upset him. "Well," the mathematician shook his head which was so full of wise thoughts, "well, yes, Barney, to tell the truth, there is something about you which upsets me deeply.