ABSTRACT
In “Discerning the Dialectic between Form and Content,” Jennifer M. Sandoval explores the conditions of consciousness for distinguishing between mere contents of consciousness and their underlying form or soul logic. Sandoval examines the relation between content and form from a psychoanalytic perspective, particularly the tension between them. She illustrates this through various examples, including a young woman’s experience in a strip club, the prodigal son parable, and Ibram X. Kendi’s perspective on racism. The chapter highlights the importance of preparing and conditioning the mind to be attuned to the dialectic, using the example of psychoanalytic companioning to demonstrate the need to stay attuned to form above content to hear the truth of an encounter. Sandoval draws parallels between the capacity to listen beyond apparent meaning to true meaning and the melos in music, where one needs to understand its “true spirit.” The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of relinquishing hope and transformation, particularly in Beethoven’s case, where his deafness allowed him to “hear” the inner sounds powerfully and beautifully depicted in his music.
