The philosophy of PINE remains true to the original educational philosophy of "candidates," i.e., students learning in small groups as expressed in 1973 by one of PINE's founders, Dr. M. Robert Gardner.
"We envision an adventure of ideas. PINE will bring together a few candidates and a few teachers in the professional closeness and lively atmosphere of a workshop. Candidates and teachers will explore critically the basic observations, methods and theories of psychoanalysis. We shall share candidly differences already held and differences that will arise in sustained study and discussion. In short, PINE will be devoted to shared curiosity and search...
The curriculum of PINE will be flexible. It will be attuned to the needs of individual candidates and teachers. We shall strive for a good mixture of organized seminars and seminars that follow more spontaneously the immediate interests of the participants. Seminars will be augmented by tutorials and by special projects. The developmental point of view and developmental data will receive particular stress in each aspect of the program. We shall try to develop a program of appeal and value to candidates of different backgrounds, including non-medical and medical. Our aim will be for a program whose breadth and depth will challenge the diversity of skills and interests of our candidates and to use that diversity to the advantage of the candidates and teachers... The full faculty will explore scientific and teaching challenges and will advance a program of faculty study groups. We shall develop a faculty with a ferment of academic spirit and the activities reflective of that spirit."