How Existentialism and Psychoanalysis Influenced Frankl

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Before an in-depth look at how existentialism and psychoanalysis influenced Frankl, let take a look at what each of these theories mean. Existentialism became identified with a cultural movement that blossomed in Europe during the forties and fifties; this term adopted by Jean-Paul Sartre as a self-description in Sartre and his associates postwar literary and philosophical writings. “By the mid 1970s the cultural image of existentialism had become a cliché, parodized in countless books and films by Woody Allen.” (123 Help me) According one website I researched, all about philosophy states the definition of Existentialism is:

“Existentialism is a 20th century philosophy concerned with human existence, finding self, and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility. The belief that people are searching to find out who and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlook without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions.

Existentialism then stresses that a person’s judgment is the determining factor for what is to be believed rather than by religious or secular world values.” (all about philosophy)

Therefore, along this thought pattern, the idea that philosophy cannot be practiced in the disinterested manner of an objective science is indeed central to existentialism.

Psychoanalysis is defined as: The method of psychological therapy originated by Sigmund Freud in which free association, dream interpretation, and analysis of resistance and transference are used to explore repressed or unconscious impulses, anxieties, and internal conflicts, in order to free psychic energy for mature love and work. Freud also believed that personality was...

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...see things in the world as I do; in essence I would not be who I am. I find naivety is bliss; however knowledge is power; power to overcome, power to enhance the world you are currently in. I also think that Marxism has good intentions, in that; removing poverty is a good thing; many hands make light work; theories’ in that ream-all have good intentions creating an Utopia Society is basically a fantasy that is improbable to create due to human nature. Human Nature is self preserving, the fittest of the fit are the only ones to survive in the end.

Works Cited

www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existentialism-definition-faq.htm

Existentialism." 123HelpMe.com. 24 Feb 2011

HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=64963>.

Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis." 123HelpMe.com. 24 Feb 2011

HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=66480>.

Vladimir Lenin

First Congress of the Communist International

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