Sigmund Freud: The Father of Modern Psychology

Sigmund Freud, the father of modern psychology, shaped the course of medicine in many ways such as the treatment of psychopathology and others feats in the neurological field. In Sigmund Freud a short biography, by Giovanni Castigan, you get to see Freud in a third person perspective. Throughout the book you see Sigmund Freud grow up and reminisce on his earlier persona. You get to see a poor, jewish boy turn into a ambitious, mature, decisive man that shaped the course of modern psychology.

Even as a young child, Freud showed traces of ambition. When Sigmund Freud was only teenager he knew “Greek, Czech, German, Spanish, English, French, Italian and Hebrew” (13). Many people struggle to learn more than one language, making his feat

His views on the world were very reminiscent and realistic and this caused a very mature perspective in the eyes of Freud. This can be seen in his later writings of the psychoanalytic mind. Sigmund Freud was born in the era of war; Freud was part of World War I and he experienced the hatred of anti-semitism during World War II; “”It was only to my Jewish nature,” wrote Freud in old age, “that I owed the two qualities that have become necessary to me throughout my difficult life. Because I was a Jew I found myself free of many prejudices which restrict others the use of intellect.”” (19). This is a very complicated concept; however, Freud was right. With this idea and way of thinking expanded his horizons to learn more about himself and the psychoanalytical brain. At this time, anti-semitism was at an all time high. This clouded many people's point of view, and by clearing the way of prejudice Freud saw the world as it truly was. Concerning the ideology of religion, Sigmund Freud later on wrote on his book “The Future of an Illusion”;

Our knowledge of the historical worth of certain religious doctrines increases our respect for them but does not invalidate our proposal that they should cease to be put forward as the reasons for the precepts of civilization. On the contrary! Those historical residues have helped us to view religious teachings, as it were, as neurotic relics, and we may now argue that the time has probably come, as

This significant talent shaped him in the way he was, a wise and cultured man. Freud was in a hard place, he was working as a medic for his old professor. However, Freud thought, “He prided himself upon having renounced ambition; yet in his dreams he was forced to recognize that a professorship seemed often to be the thought of his unconscious desire.” Freud knew what he wanted, and again “having renounced ambition” he went for it. This decision was later to change his life, and turning his life to the psychoanalytical field. Freud recognized his true calling. He did this easily and this course of actions he took turned his career a whole three hundred sixty degrees. Once he went to work for Jean Martin Charcot, a neurologist whom at the time was praised for his work. Freud knew how working for Charcot, could be catalytic it would be; “He was later to recall the experience of this stay as a stimulant in turning him toward the practice of medical psychopathology and away from a less financially promising career in neurology research.” (26). He knew the benefits of his actions, with this amazing talent he shaped himself into a renaissance man. This went on all through his life, knowing what to do definitely shaped him into a man who achieved many great things, impressive in itself. The talent of decisiveness is often rare and very valuable as he always knew what he wanted and what was best for