PHILOSOPHY: THEME 1 - CHALLENGES TO RELIGIOUS BELIEF (FREUD, JUNG)

SIGMUND FREUD

CARL JUNG

division of the unconscious

personal unconscious: unique to everyone, is subjective to each individual's lifestyle

collective unconscious: oldest, blueprints for images, ideas/ images shared, innate, God is generated here

miss miller: showed early signs of sz, jung analysed her dream of a moth being drawn to sun, compared to someone being drawn to god/ jesus as the light

archetypes

aspects of the self

mind has structures which produce uniform images (images -> meanings)

myths/ symbols are products

must be well balanced to be mentally well

types

anima (male)/ animus (female)

parts of the personality

shadow

represents darker features of one's personality

persona

covering up one's true nature

can be linked to crime which is done to explore the shadow archetype

the self

needs religion for balance between archetypes

religion prevents neurosis through individuation

balances unconscious + conscious parts of personality/ archetype categories

from middle-age, one should come to terms with their personality, figuring out their personality

governs individuation

creates image of wholeness

mandala/ god are symbols of wholeness + aids individuation

individuation is a religious experience

through religious images of wholeness, individuation can occur successfully

the unconscious mind

the tripartite personality

id

unconscious

preconscious

conscious

ego

superego

pleasure principle

unconscious

demands rewards in the present, similar to a baby - is impatient and can become overwhelming if it goes too long without reward

reality principle

mostly unconscious

looks for a realistic balance between the id and ego, still fulfils the parts of the id that would be able to happen without harming anyone, but listens to the superego, keeping a level of social morality to avoid punishment (guilt) from superego

morality principle

part of the conscious

the judge of right and wrong, essentially the polar opposite of the id, working against what it wants, and may "punish" an individual if they carelessly go along with the desires of the id

oedipus complex

the son sees his father as competition for his mother's affections, but doesn't hate the father entirely

breastfeeding during oral stage of psychosexual stages brings about a connection between mother + son

example: little hans -

primal horde

evolutionary theory (developed from darwin's ideas)

a powerful 'alpha'/ dominant leader who sleeps with all the women of his horde

a son kills a father to access the rest of the women, but then feels guilt so uses a totem (animal) in place so they reduce the guilt

they then make a rule for incest and not to kill the worshipped totem

guilt complexes

example: sergei penkejeff - a man who had a dream of about six or seven white wolves sitting in a tree. feared he was going to be eaten. freud said this dream came about from a repressed memory of seeing his parents have sex when he was younger

AO2

FREUD ON RELIGION

JUNG BEING MORE POSITIVE THAN FREUD

EXTENT OF RELIGION CONSIDERED AS A NEUROSIS

Though there may be faint similarities between religious practices and conditions like OCD, religion has instead been found to assist with people’s wellbeing. There are more differences than similarities, as people actively make the choice to engage in religious practices rather than being compelled to like OCD; religion, more or less, helps people feel at peace. Freud takes a very reductionist view, seeing it no more than a symptom. However, God, who is widely considered to be all-loving in major religions, would rather comfort His believers instead of putting through unnecessary distress.

It could be argued that Freud’s views majorly only applied to him, and would otherwise be difficult to generalise. His views also fail to consider the multiple levels at which religions can exist, posing a pluralism objection. More of his particular ideas like wish fulfilment, the primal horde and the Oedipus complex have no solid foundation of evidence. With the Oedipus complex, for example, each demographic and each society have their individual views on fatherhood - not all align with the other, and some may in fact completely contrast. In terms of wish fulfilment, it could be that we have been created in sensus divinitas - a sense and desire for God (John Calvin). Finally, the primal horde realistically has no evidence to begin with. Overall, it would be fair to disagree with Freud’s views, as they leave many gaps and fail to consider a wider perspective.

IS: believes religion encourages more positive outlooks on life + gave people purpose; jung's process of individuation

IS NOT: religion is much more than just a product of the mind - refer to religious texts, religious experience etc.

FREUD WAS SOMEWHAT POSITIVE: freud admitted people can become more confident + well-balanced due to religion