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[[Image:freud-thumb.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The perverse and disturbed Sigmund Freud in his laboratory]]

[[Image:freud-thumb.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Sigmund Freud in his laboratory]]

'''Sigmund Freud''' (1856–1939) was the founder of [[psychoanalysis]], an [[atheist]] and [[pseudoscientist]].  Because of the scientific rejection of most if not all of his theory, Freud is largely ignored today in the field of psychology, but remains influential in some fields of literary studies and history.

'''Sigmund Freud''' (1856–1939) was the founder of [[psychoanalysis]], an [[atheist]] and [[pseudoscientist]].  Because of the groundbreaking nature of most of his theory, Freud remains influential in the field of psychology, literary studies and history.

[[Jewish]] by birth, in 1938 he left fled Vienna and persecution by the [[Nazi]]s to North [[London]], [[England]], where he lived until his death in 1939.

[[Jewish]] by birth, in 1938 he fled Vienna and persecution by the [[Nazi]]s to North [[London]], [[England]], where he lived until his death in 1939.

 

{{cquote|Freud did more than perhaps any other man to insidiously conflate atheism with science, religion with mysticism, more than LaPlace, Darwin, or even Marx... While groundbreaking, his theories set back psychoanalysis for more than half a century.<ref>Gregory Zilboorg, ''Freud and Religion: a Restatement of an Old Controversy,'' 118. Statement written in the 1950s; Freud's psychoanalysis continues to be applied to the detriment of patients.</ref>}}

{{cquote|Freud did more than perhaps any other man to insidiously conflate atheism with science, religion with mysticism, more than LaPlace, Darwin, or even Marx... While groundbreaking, his theories set back psychoanalysis for more than half a century.<ref>Gregory Zilboorg, ''Freud and Religion: a Restatement of an Old Controversy,'' 118. Statement written in the 1950s; Freud's psychoanalysis continues to be applied to the detriment of patients.</ref>}}

== Theories ==

== Theories ==

Today Freud is best known for his outlandish theories of the [[unconscious mind]], especially involving the mechanism of [[repression]]; his symbolic interpretation of dreams; his redefinition of sexual desire as mobile and directed towards a wide variety of objects; and his therapeutic technique, especially his understanding of [[transference]] in the therapeutic relationship and the symbolic interpretation of dreams as sources of insight into [[unconscious desire]]s. <ref> [http://www.amazon.com/Unconscious-Before-Freud-Lancelot-Whyte/dp/0312828705 See also The Unconscious Before Freud, by Lancelot Law Whyte, 1979]</ref>

Today Freud is best known for his theories of the [[unconscious mind]], especially involving the mechanism of [[repression]]; his symbolic interpretation of dreams; his redefinition of sexual desire as mobile and directed towards a wide variety of objects; and his therapeutic technique, especially his understanding of [[transference]] in the therapeutic relationship and the symbolic interpretation of dreams as sources of insight into [[unconscious desire]]s. <ref> [http://www.amazon.com/Unconscious-Before-Freud-Lancelot-Whyte/dp/0312828705 See also The Unconscious Before Freud, by Lancelot Law Whyte, 1979]</ref>

Freud proposed that the human [[psyche]] consists of three parts -- [[ego]], [[super-ego]], and [[id]] -- and that [[defense mechanism]]s are an attempt by the mind to resolve conflicts between the super-ego and the id. According to Freud's personality theory, the id represents the innate animal-like drives and instincts of the human being, consisting primarily of sexual and aggressive impulses. The super-ego consists of the learned rules and norms of the human being in their environment, derived from sources such as parental values, societal expectations, and religious teachings. When the id introduces impulses into the consciousness that are in conflict with the "rules" of the super-ego, anxiety can arise. For example, if one feels sexually attracted  to the spouse of a family member, the super-ego promptly springs to action to remind us that these impulses are entirely unacceptable and offensive. The conflict between the id and the super-ego is thus born and the ego must resolve it or experience great anxiety.

Freud proposed that the human [[psyche]] consists of three parts -- [[ego]], [[super-ego]], and [[id]] -- and that [[defense mechanism]]s are an attempt by the mind to resolve conflicts between the super-ego and the id. According to Freud's personality theory, the id represents the innate animal-like drives and instincts of the human being, consisting primarily of sexual and aggressive impulses. The super-ego consists of the learned rules and norms of the human being in their environment, derived from sources such as parental values, societal expectations, and religious teachings. When the id introduces impulses into the consciousness that are in conflict with the "rules" of the super-ego, anxiety can arise. For example, if one feels sexually attracted  to the spouse of a family member, the super-ego promptly springs to action to remind us that these impulses are entirely unacceptable and offensive. The conflict between the id and the super-ego is thus born and the ego must resolve it or experience great anxiety.

== Science issues==

== Science issues==

Freud's theories are viewed by some as unscientific because they lack [[falsifiability]], as pointed out by [[Karl Popper]].<ref>Popper, Karl R.: [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/popper_falsification.html 'Science as Falsification'], ''Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge'' (London, 1963) </ref> No one has ever been able to do any experiment that showed any merit to any of Freud's therapies.

Freud's theories are viewed by some as unscientific because they lack [[falsifiability]], as pointed out by [[Karl Popper]].<ref>Popper, Karl R.: [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/popper_falsification.html 'Science as Falsification'], ''Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge'' (London, 1963) </ref>  

Freud's therapeutic methods continue to have a lasting importance in psychotherapy.  As recently as 1987 approximately 75% of practicing therapists relied on Freud's psychoanalytic ideas in therapy. (Pope, K.S., Tabachnick, B. & Keith-Spiegel, P. (1987). Ethics of practice: The beliefs and behaviors of psychologists as therapists. ''American Psychologist, 42,'' 993-1006).  Among the techniques instituted by Freud that are still in use today are talk therapy (simply talking through problems), free association (allowing the client to say whatever comes to mind), and transference (promoting an emotional relationship between the therapist and client in order to aid in the healing process).

Freud's therapeutic methods continue to have a lasting importance in psychotherapy.  As recently as 1987 approximately 75% of practicing therapists relied on Freud's psychoanalytic ideas in therapy. (Pope, K.S., Tabachnick, B. & Keith-Spiegel, P. (1987). Ethics of practice: The beliefs and behaviors of psychologists as therapists. ''American Psychologist, 42,'' 993-1006).  Among the techniques instituted by Freud that are still in use today are talk therapy (simply talking through problems), free association (allowing the client to say whatever comes to mind), and transference (promoting an emotional relationship between the therapist and client in order to aid in the healing process).

Much of Freud's psychosexual theories and his tripartite model have failed any empirical investigation and people of the time described his readers as "paranoid psychopaths." Psychoanalysis as a [[clinical psychology | clinical]] method has in many cases been shown to be as effective as other talk therapies,<ref>[http://ask.metafilter.com/99906/Different-types-of-therapy Different types of therapy]</ref>

Psychoanalysis as a [[clinical psychology | clinical]] method has in many cases been shown to be as effective as other talk therapies.<ref>[http://ask.metafilter.com/99906/Different-types-of-therapy Different types of therapy]</ref>

Sigmund Freud died of maxillary [[cancer]] at the age of 82.

Sigmund Freud died of maxillary [[cancer]] at the age of 82 due to cigar smoking.

==World War II==

==World War II==

In order to prevent [[Nazis]] from banning psychoanalysis as "Jewish science", Sigmund Freud thought he needed a non-Jewish spokesperson for the psychoanalysis movement.  He choose [[Carl Jung]], an early supporter who later diverged from Freud's [[psychiatric]] theories.

In order to prevent [[Nazis]] from banning psychoanalysis as "Jewish science", Sigmund Freud thought he needed a non-Jewish spokesperson for the psychoanalysis movement.  He choose [[Carl Jung]], an early supporter who later partially diverged from Freud's [[psychiatric]] theories.

== External links ==

== External links ==