From Fallibilism to Clinical Humility: Brothers and Corpt on the Feminine and the Maternal

ABSTRACT

Reflecting on the contributions of Brothers and Corpt leads this contrite fallibilist from the cognitive attitude of holding theories lightly to the necessity of embracing vulnerability, the requirements of the so-called feminine, and the maternal. The ethical turn in psychoanalysis, well-represented by these two thinkers, includes, indeed requires, rethinking our normative gendered unconsciousness. Such rethinking further involves clinical humility, including a readiness to be affected by our patients’ challenges to our presumptions.