What do we know about Sigmund Freud's theories?

Encyclopedia of Opinion

Question: What do we know about Sigmund Freud's theories?
Position‹5 of 5: Everything we know is questionable
Argument1 of 2›: Freud didn’t invent psychoanalysis

Freud is not the true father of psychoanalysis; it was invented by Joseph Breuer.

The argument

The origin of Freud's early work with psychoanalysis can be linked to Joseph Breuer. Breuer who became famous after treating a young woman, diagnosed with what was called female hysteria, Anna O, with kindness and allowing her to talk. He said his patients all reported being sexually abused or had fantasised about it. Freud's said he had uncovered ‘unconscious’ memories of early childhood sexual abuse for every single one his patients from the mid-1890s, who all showed the symptoms of 'hysteria' and obsessional neurosis derived from in infancy. However, a close reading of his papers and letters from this period indicates this was untrue – instead, he analytically inferred the supposed incidents by a procedure heavily dependent on the symbolic (subjective) interpretation of somatic symptoms.

Premises

[P1]Freud's early psychoanalytic work can be traced to Joseph Breuer, who became famous treating Anna O by listening to her with kindness. [P2] Freud claimed to have uncovered unconscious memories of early childhood sexual abuse in every "hysteria" patient from the mid-1890s. [P3] A close reading of his papers and letters indicates this claim was untrue, casting doubt on the originality and reliability of his account. [C] Therefore, Freud didn't invent psychoanalysis, showing that what we think we know about him is questionable.

Counter-arguments

Freud did actually credit Breuer with the discovery of the psychoanalytical method.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] This does not decrease Freud's achievements.