A Revision of Freud’s Theory of the Biological Origin of the Oedipus Complex

Abstract

This revision concerns primarily the biological origin of the Oedipus complex, classically understood as an inherited primal phantasy. However, a reconceptualization of the origin of what Freud called the nuclear complex of the neuroses also has consequences for understanding its nature. A review of current knowledge relevant to the biological mechanisms of inheritance and the type of memory system that Freud had in mind, and a review of modern instinct theory, suggests that the Oedipus complex is not an innate predisposition but rather the almost inevitable outcome of a combination of simpler biological processes.

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