pog final - sigmund freud

freud’s psychological approach to religion

individual psychology is derived from the biological inheritance of events in ancient history, believed prehistorical traumas have an ongoing impact on current psychology

3 psychical origins of religious ideals

1. belief in a powerful father that allays our fear of the danger of life

2. need for assurance that the demands of justice will be fulfilled

3. the idea that all of the illusions will be provided in a future life for humans

illusion

type of belief

belief

an illusion when a wish-fulfillment is a prominent factor in its motivation, and we disregard its relations to reality; cannot be verified

freud’s belief about how the father contributes to religion

helplessness in childhood aroused the need for protection and love that was provided by the father —> we’ve come to call this father God

how will religion evolve according to freud?

is it a phase of obsessional neurosis, once humanity reaches its full potential, there will no longer be a need for religion

those who do without the consolation of religion must accept the 3 realities of life

1. accepting the full extent of our helplessness/insignificance and the machinery of the universe to reach full maturity

2. accepting that we are not the center of creation

3. belief that infantilism is destined to be surmounted/overcome, we cannot remain children forever and must go into the “hostile life”

totem and taboo

book by sigmund freud;

according to freud, how do people utilize the totem animal in religion?

when remembering/reenacting the slaughter of its totem animal, it does so with lament and mourning, devouring it raw, and resulting in joy afterwards

totemic religion

vary according to the stage of civilization at which they arise, they all have the same end in view and are reactions to the same great event with which civilizations began

psychoanalysis impact on freud

revealed that the totem animal is a substitute for the father, there is a connection b/twn the emotions that the herd felt regarding their father

according to freud, how did totemic religion arise?

guilt and attempt to appease the father by deferred obedience to him