Irritability (Reizbarkeit) as distinctive character of Freud's psychic aparatus

Abstract

According to Freud, his theory of the psychic apparatusis a model of the mind and not a real description. But as a model it assumes a certain conception, altough temporary, about the nature of the psychic and can be replaced in the whole by others if became demonstraded its inadequacy in the explanation of certain clinical facts. Following Freud mind functions as an arc-reflex and, therefore, acts like an irritable substance. Nevertheless, this supposition about mind's nature shows itself to be insufficient for the explanation of certain facts, those uncovered and grouped by Freud in 1920 under the concept of Wiederholungszwang. And instead of trying to replace the model for another, he saved it through the introduction of the problematic concept of Todestrieb.