This Business of Topology

Lewin's introduction of topological psychology was an exciting innovation as well as an object of ridicule. The reasons for its function as a fighting slogan for the Lewinian school and for its decline are analyzed. Topology provided a fruitful metaphor, but its mathematical use was insufficiently developed, partly because topology was an underdeveloped field of mathematics at the time. However, Lewin showed foresight in insisting on the need for a mathematics applicable to psychology. Modern developments in topology, especially catastrophe theory, are shown to be productive for psychological theory and its applications, thus justifying Lewin's intuition.