This is the first of two articles examining the pervasiveness of religious, primitive and magical thinking in the culture of group analysis. I do so through the vehicle of the writings of Patrick de Maré. The article spells out what I believe to be the misunderstandings underlying de Maré’s rejection of causality, evidence and logical argument; calls into question the conventional view of de Maré’s writings as erudite but difficult; and examines the relationship between de Maré’s ideas and the way he takes up the role of large group conductor.
AtkinsP (2007) Four Laws that Drive the Universe. Oxford: London.
2.
Blackwell (2012) Epilogue. In: LennRStefanoK (eds) Small, Large, and Median Groups: The work of Patrick de Maré. London: Karnac, pp. 161–165.
3.
BottE (1976) Hospital and society. British Journal of Medical Psychology49: 97–140.
4.
BridgerH (1990) Courses and working conferences as transitional learning institutions. In: TristEMurrayH (eds) The Social Engagement of Social Science Volume 1: The Socio-Psychological Perspective. London: Free Association Books.
5.
de MaréPB (undated) Non-transference elements in group analytic psychotherapy. In: LennRStefanoK (eds) Small, Large, and Median Groups: The work of Patrick de Maré. London: Karnac, pp. 41–48.
6.
de MaréPB (1972) Perspectives in Group Psychotherapy: A Theoretical Background. London: Routledge.
7.
de MaréPB (1994) The median group and the psyche. In: LennRStefanoK (eds) Small, Large, and Median Groups: The work of Patrick de Maré. London: Karnac, pp. 123–132.
8.
de MaréPB (2002) The millennium and the median group. In: LennRStefanoK (eds) Small, Large, and Median Groups: The work of Patrick de Maré. London: Karnac, pp. 137–150.
9.
de MaréPBKreegerL (1974) Introduction to Group Treatment in Psychiatry. London: Butterworths.
10.
de MaréPBPiperRThompsonS (1991) Koinonia: From Hate, through Dialogue, to Culture in the Larger Group. London: Karnac.
11.
de MaréPBSchöllbergerR (2003) The Larger Group as a meeting of minds: a philosophical understanding. In: LennRStefanoK (eds) Small, Large, and Median Groups: The work of Patrick de Maré. London: Karnac, pp. 151–160.
12.
FoulkesSH (1972) Preface to de Maré PB, Perspectives in Group Psychotherapy: A Theoretical Background. London: Routledge.
13.
FreudS (1911) Formulations on the two principles of mental functioning. Standard Edition 12, pp. 222–3. London: Hogarth Press.
14.
Lawson-TancredH (2004) Introduction. In: Aristotle, The Metaphysics. London: Penguin, pp. xi–1vii.
15.
LuikerH (2019) The persistence of magic and religion in contemporary medicine and psychotherapy. Group Analysis52(4): 532–543.
16.
LuikerH (2021) The anti-science in the culture of group analysis (2). Group Analysis54(1) : 95–109.
17.
Menzies LythI (1988) Containing Anxiety in Institutions: Selected Essays Vol. 1. London: Free Association Books.
18.
Menzies LythI (1989) The Dynamics of the Social: Selected Essays Vol 2. London: Free Association Books.
19.
RussellB (1923) Human Knowledge: Its Scope and Limits: New York: Routledge, 2009.
20.
ScottRD (1973) The treatment barrier. British Journal of Medical Psychology46: 45–67.
21.
ScottRDAlwynS (1978) Patient–parent relationships and the course and outcome of schizophrenia. British Journal of Medical Psychology51: 343–355.
22.
ShurR (1994) Counter-transference Enactment: How Institutions and Therapists Actualize Primitive Internal Worlds. New Jersey: Jason Aronson.
23.
WatzlawickPBavelasJBJacksonDD (1967) Pragmatics of Human Communication. New York: Norton.
