Bion’s Vertices: On Truth and Lies

A stellar international line-up of Bionian scholars examine the notions of truth and lies from a variety of perspectives. They explore the importance of truth and lies within an individual’s emotional development and psychic growth and illuminate the contemporary clinical, theoretical, and cultural relevance of Bion’s thinking.

Bion’s Vertices: On Truth and Lies is the inaugural book of the Contemporary Bion series. It raises many key questions, such as: What is the place of truth and lies in psychoanalytic discourse? What are the consequences in terms of collusion and communication? How can a 'lie' carry a meaning? The book features penetrating insights from Nicola Abel-Hirsch, Joseph Aguayo, David Bell, Avner Bergstein, Ronald Britton, Robert Caper, Roosevelt Cassorla, Maxine Dennis, Judy K. Eekhoff, Denis Flynn, Tomasz Fortuna, Antònia Grimalt, Alberto Hahn, R. D. Hinshelwood, Monica Horovitz, Dimitris J. Jackson, Paulo Cesar Sandler, Carlos Tabbia, and Margot Waddell. Their inspiration and starting point is Bion and his work but the vertices are dynamic and involve free expression of their personal perspectives, communication styles, and approaches, including Freudian, Kleinian, mathematical, philosophical, scientific, and poetic.

Their chapters are divided into three parts, which investigate the truth/lie domain, emotional change and growth, and creativity in relation to truth and lies. The wide-ranging discussions include chapters on aesthetic processes in poetry and psychoanalytic thought, the protective function of lying, misunderstandings, chaos, the analyst’s mind, knowledge, representation, perversions, propaganda, and racialisation in relational context. These powerful contributions are essential reading for practising clinicians, academics, and students.