Jan 27th Notes REL 304 Sigmund Freud: Basic principles of Freudian Theory: - Instinct biological instincts (particularly

rly sex drive) play a dominant role in human behavior and are the origin of mental disorders o Humans are at heart animals instinctual desires, wants and needs - Unconscious Mental processes are largely unconscious; conscious processes of the mind are only part of the whole psychic entity o Iceberg metaphor Conscious thought is only the tip of the iceberg Rational (conscious) mind is only somewhat aware of all thought o Instincts are located in the unconscious o Freuds psychological apparatus: Id: the unconscious source of instinctual desires that seeks direct satisfaction (pleasure principle) It Ego: the conscious, reality-oriented source of thought that mediates and inhibits desires for realistic reasons (reality principle) I Superego: the unconscious source of thought that mediates and inhibits desires for moralistic reasons (the conscience) (Principle of right and wrong) above I Freud would argue that only the superego gets a chance to interact with society - Conflict and Defense Throughout life instinctual conflicts are resolved through defense mechanisms like regression, projection, and repression, which may become sources of neurosis. o Regression, projection and repression are the minds last ditch effort to hide desires that we cannot overcome ex. Murder or incest The psychosexual stages (according to Freud) 1. Oral stage 2. Anal stage 3. Phallic Stage a. Oedipus Complex overcoming the phallic stage crisis defeats the Oedipus complex i. Castration anxiety allows youth (males) to remove sexual desire of mom and aggression from father 4. Genital stage puberty onwards

Freuds Theory of Religion: - Religious belief is an illusion o Religion is foreign to reality o Religion is nothing by psychology projected into the external world Religion comes from our minds imagining something is outside independent of us o God is, psychologically speaking, nothing other than an exalted father As infants we cling to our father as a protection figure; as adults we project a father into

Religion is based on wish fulfillment the wish for a father figure who will protect us from the harsh realities and conflicts of life.

Religious practice is an obsessional neurosis o Religious behavior is a form of infantile regression If you are running to a father figure, dont, youre not a kid. o Religious behaviors, like neurotic behaviors, are motivated by underlying repression (most deeply, the Oedipus complex) We act religiously because of underlying neurotic behaviors/desires o There are parallels between neurotic compulsions and religious rituals Historical foundations and development of religion (an explanatory theory) Freuds perspective o Prehistoric Oedipus event (original patricide)

Side note: totemism social taboos against incest and killing totem animal - The totem animal represents the father from the original patricidal act that supported instinct (Id) Clans that partake in totemism have women that marry outside of the clan. o o o o Totemism Poly-theism numerous clan totems become institutionalized gods Monotheism full emergence of the father figure Freud uses this to prove that its our internal desire for a father figure Freud would say that the most developed form of religion is Christianity Full reenactment of original patricide event Why? The Eucharist feeding off the father body of Christ Dissolution of the illusion (book) prediction Replacement of superstition of faith with reason and science If we can see what religion is, we can get past this and rely on science instead of faith