La morte dentro la vita : Freud e lo scandalo della pulsione di morte

The article examines the concept of the death drive as theorized by Freud, starting from his essay Beyond the Pleasure Principle in 1920. It is a fundamental turning point in psychoanalytic theory, as it conceives the psyche as dualistic. According to this perspective, humans are not only driven towards progress but also towards their own annihilation, and the persistence of life (Eros) becomes an uncertain outcome of the interplay with Thanatos. The potentially useful aspect of the death drive is also examined, as it manifests itself in its liberating power from the herd instincts that excessive libido can engender, both in individuals and groups. [Publisher's text].