Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

Required Written Assignment

Compare Viktor Frankl and any two of the other three aforementioned individuals.

Before I compare these three peoples views and strengths and weakness of their positions, I think that it is better to give the brief introductions to each person because it will help us to understand why their points formed based on their different backgrounds. Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. Frankl was the founder of logo therapy, which is a form of Existential Analysis, the "Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy". Mans Search for Meaning is his best-selling book which intends to answer the question "How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner?" in order to answer this question, he used a lot of scientific explanations to approach and find the reason. Sigmund Freud was also an Austrian neurologist who founded the psychoanalytic school of psychiatry. He is best known for the theories of the unconscious mind and the defense mechanism of repression, and for creating the clinical practice of psychoanalysis for treating psychopathology through dialogue between patients. He was technically referred to as an "analysand", and a psychoanalyst. It is clear to see that both of them are not philosophers although they also studied in how people think about existence, values, reason, and mind, which are the main problems in philosophy course. We can only regard them as great neurologists. As a result, I cannot admit their well-known studies as philosophy studies .in the contrary, David Hume was a real philosopher. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history

Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment. Hume, John Locke, George Berkeley, all of them grouped together as a British Empiricist. His famous book A Treatise of Human Nature is a treatment of everything from the origin of our ideas to how they are to be divided. Although it seems like all of them studied the same problems and got great answers, they studied differently. Viktor Frankl and Sigmund Freud studied in physical science while David Hume discovered the philosophy world. It is unforgettable for me that philosophy differs from the physical science not only in terms of the greater universality of its subject-matter, but also in terms of its approach to its subject-matter: whereas the physical sciences concern themselves with proximate or secondary causes, philosophy deals with first or ultimate causes. Critique each individuals view of the human person; Critique the strengths and weaknesses of their positions; 1. Viktor Frankl Mans Search For meaning; Viktor Frankll describes the suffering and heroic acts of the prisoners. He shares a secret that makes us uncomfortable: only those prisoners who unscrupulously fought for survival lived to tell the tale. According to Frankl, the really good people were the ones who dont make it back. Frankls determent lasted three years in various camps, including Auschwitz. He developed a profound internal life that gave meaning to his rather inglorious existence. He realizes that physical survival was hinged upon emotional survival, so it is necessary for him to give purpose to his life. He thinks that any man can decide what shall become of him mentally spiritually. He may retain his dignity even in a concentration camp. Although they are in prison,

Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

the last inner freedom cannot be lost. People are worthy of their suffering-bore suffering is a genuine inner achievement. People should not be afraid of suffer because spiritual freedom, making life meaningful and purposeful, cannot be taken away. Therefore, human life cannot be complete without suffering and death. In addition to not afraid of suffering, Viktor Frankl also emphasizes provisional existence. A man who could not see the end of provisional existence was not able to aim at an ultimate goal in life. Provisional existence as unreal is in itself an important factor in causing prisoners to lose their hold on life. He brings a psychopathological solution that gives him inner strength by pointing out to him a future goal which he could look forward. Frankl finds a lot of important human nature qualities when people are imprisoned and threaten by death. Peoples mind changes under different situations. His conclusions are persuasive because these real things happened around him every day. However, I am concerned whether his views are suitable and universal for common situation. I believe that peoples view of value and belief will definitely change when they face death, but not all of their thoughts reflect their true feelings because they have no choice. Therefore, the main weakness is that Frankls view of the human person is limited based on his particular position. 2. Sigmund Freud Civilization and Its Discontents; Sigmund Freud states his antagonism to organized religion in directly and barely diplomatic terms, calling it delusional and infantile. Aggressively secular in his orientation, Freud gets

Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

Goethe's view that science and art can provide and even improve upon - the benefits of religion. Freud ratifies his own belief in the importance of the arts by inserting generous citations of poetry and other insights from literary sources throughout. According to Freud, the purpose of human life is not redemption in an afterlife, but the achievement of happiness. His theory of the pleasure principle clashes directly with the biblical "intention that man should be happy," which Freud notes with irony "is not included in the plan of Creation." Freud also emphasizes on the compensatory value of beauty - the idea that aesthetically pleasing "human forms and gestures, natural objects and landscapes, artistic and even scientific creations" can stave off suffering and provide temporary pleasure. The logical connection between psychoanalysis and beauty is, in the end, quite tenuous and insufficiently explored. Freud discusses that the purpose of human life is achievement of happiness, instead of redemption in an afterlife which derived from some religion belief. I think that this idea is great because many people feel guilty then get obsessive neurotics, but the right attitude should be enjoy ,not endure life . Moreover, his also explain the relationship among the individuals, communities, and society .how do person become clear for his self-position. However, he uses some scientific method to prove his opinion of philosophy problem. I am not sure whether he finds the ultimate causes because learned that science or scientific ways can only approach to the secondary causes.

Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

3. David Hume A Treatise of Human nature; David Hume discusses skepticism about various common sense features of reality. His theory of perception will show that even the apparent endurance of objects over time, including the self, are mere perceptions and have no reality. Reason and the senses give no knowledge on these matters, while the senses and automatic inference do not produce these ideas, only the imagination, which is often unreliable. We never experience objects persisting through time, only our successive perceptions of them. And we never experience ourselves directly either. Impressions cannot produce these ideas. Hume thinks it is pointless to wonder about the existence of the external world and external objects. We should just presume that it is true; although it is fruitful to ask what it is. To be honest, his article costs me much more time than reading other two aforementioned individuals items because the whole article set forth its ideas and it is too complex to understand if my life experiences didnt connect to his view. However, I have to admit Humes essay is comprehensive and the style of philosophical approach to get the answer that we are familiar with. , the true idea of the human mind is to consider it as a system of different perceptions or
different existences, which are linkd together by the relation of cause and effect It explains the human person exclusively from the human being itself and this view of human person can fit into any kind of time and stage of human life.

Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

Which individuals view is most persuasive? Why?

In my opinion, the Viktor Frankl is the most persuasive to me because it is better for me to understand his points of view, which refines form his real stories and experiences. Compare with Viktor Frankl, David Hume and Sigmund Freuds only stay on the theatrical level, without personal experiences. Viktor Frankl proves that the suffering is a genuine inner achievement. People should not be afraid of suffer because spiritual freedom, making life meaningful and purposeful, cannot be taken away. Therefore, human life cannot be complete without suffering and death. One of the martyrs isfacing sacrifice in the concentration camp. Surprisingly, she is used to be afraid of death, but at that moment, she is not afraid any more .she thought her inner freedom was immoral that inspired Viktor to refine the meaning of life. Viktors article reminds me of a famous philosopher, Socrates. When he is in the prison, his friends dont want him die and tries to arrange him exile. However, Socrates refuses to do that even thought he thinks the trail for him is not right. He believes that people have to observe the law and there is no exception. Moreover, he thinks that the soul is immoral even the body doesnt remain any more. For these reasons, I think that Viktors view is most persuasive.

Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

What are the implications of each position for self-image, freedom, moral responsibility, and love?

1. Viktor Frankl; Frankl focuses on inn self, which is the implication of his position for self- image. Sort of the prisoner was the result of an inner decision, not the result of camp influence alone. Martyrs story strengthens his view that inner freedom cannot be lost. Freedom in mind is more important because the spiritual freedom cannot take away even the body died. He treats the responsibility like mission that he has obligation to discover the meaning of life. Last but not least, he thinks that the love is not just sex, it is above the sex.
2. Sigmund Freud; Freud believes that searching for happiness in the life is his self-image. People are able to obtain happiness easily if they dont feel life is kind of redemption. As a result, the freedom in

his article is that people can chase for happiness, or in another word, dodge unhappiness without boundary or limits. His implications for Moral responsibility is embodied in encouraging people join the community and the society and change the world with human will by our congregate power. Because Freud emphasizes on the compensatory value of beauty and human behaviors which provide temporary pleasure are encouraged, love and sex are obviously important and they are the sources of happiness.

Zhongya Zhang PHI 1000C Professor Heenan Dec 13th, 2010

3. David Hume; David Hume believes that people should keep imagining to reaching the features of reality because apparent endurance of objects over time, including the self, have no reality. This is the implication of self-image for his view. Within this implication, freedoms are shown as free to imagine that enriches perception to the reality. People should be tolerate for everything appeared in my world and keep an open mind as moral responsibility. Because people receive everything instead of wondering, love is easier to give and take without suspicion. The world is filled with love.