Of Rats and Psychologists

Abstract

The relationship between psychology and rats is explored in connection with the pre-scientific lifeworld, where important motivational roots, historically changing cultural practices and far-reaching societal consequences of rat psychology are found. The pre-theoretical meanings of the rat entail its inimical Otherness opposing humanity, its unrelenting parasitic cohabitation with people, and its reflection of the inhumanity of the person. A historical analysis shows how, in coming to terms with the rat-induced Black Plague, humanity developed the practices of surveillance, analysis and control that culminated in the modern scientific transformation of the rat from a threat into a docile servant. The triumph over the rat-like in the human and in the rat itself aimed at by psycho-analysis and experimental psychology reveals humanity's attempt to overthrow its own evil by means of modem disciplinary structures. The societal ramifications of this psychology of one-way surveillance, analysis and control are found to contain a dehumanization in which the psychologist's hidden rat-likeness threatens to destroy human subjectivity and freedom. In order to curtail the alienating trends in the historical trajectory of modern psychology, a science entailing reciprocity and mutual recognition between the scientist and humanity, leading to an owning of the rat-like as a part of existence, is suggested.

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