ABSTRACT
Wilfred Ruprecht Bion's death on November 8, 1979 has thrust upon us the task of re-evaluating the impact he and his work have had on psychoanalysis in our generation. The three different kinds of basic assumptions characterizing these groups are fight or flight, pairing, and dependent. The procedures Bion applied to the study of these groups applied to groups of varying sizes and became known as the Tavistock method. His book, Experience in Groups, summarizes his findings on this subject. His next period of work clustered around the clinical investigation of psychosis. Bion's cosmic view of the psyche is one in which we sit on the lap of our Godhead who is mysteriously connected to the Ultimate Godhead (Holy Ghost). The evolution of thoughts proceeds along a genetic axis as the thoughts emerge from sense impressions and are transformed by alpha function to produce alpha elements suitable for dreaming, experiencing, being thought about, and ultimately for mental action.
