James, Freud, Jung Flashcards
What did Freud term religion?
An illusion
Freud referred to religion as a childish, infantile phenomenon.
In which key text did Freud expound his thesis about religion?
The Future of an Illusion
What is Freud’s ‘Projection Theory’ regarding the origins of religion?
The psyche projects a ‘cosmic father’ figure to fulfill needs for protection and guidance.
Who does Freud identify as the first love object in a child’s life?
Mother
What dual emotional bond does the father create in a child’s life according to Freud?
Protection vs. anxiety/fear
How does Freud describe religion’s emergence?
As a childlike wish for protection
Which early 20th-century scholars resonated with Freud’s reductionist view?
Some logical positivists like Rudolf Carnap
What is William James’s key text that pioneered the psychology of religion?
The Varieties of Religious Experience
What does James reject about Freud’s view on religion?
The reduction of religion to sexual or aberrant psychology
According to James, what is the core of religion?
Belief in an unseen or invisible realm
What are the two types of religious experience distinguished by James?
- First-hand
- Second-hand
What characterizes a ‘healthy-minded’ religion according to James?
Optimism, joy, positivity
What defines a ‘sick-souled’ religion?
Pessimism, awareness of sin, yearning for ultimate meaning
What are the four characteristics of mystical experiences according to James?
- Ineffability
- Noetic Quality
- Transiency
- Passivity
What psychological effects does James associate with genuine religious experiences?
- Sense of safety
- Greater earnestness
- Heroism and moral vigor
- Zest or enthusiasm for life
What is the ‘collective unconscious’ in Jung’s theory?
A shared unconscious containing inherited archetypes
What are archetypes according to Jung?
Universal, inborn templates or ‘forms without content’
Which sources does Jung cite as evidence for archetypes?
- Dreams
- Active Imagination & Artistic Creation
- Delusions in Mental Illness
- Repeated Motifs
- Universality Across Cultures
How does Jung view religion compared to Freud?
As a valid symbolic expression of deep human realities
What are the three contrasting views of religion among Freud, James, and Jung?
- Freud: Negative, illusion stemming from dependencies
- James: Positive, valid and transformative
- Jung: Positive, emerges from archetypes
What is James’s stance on the origins of religion?
No single origin claim; emphasizes first-hand experiences
According to Freud, what does nearly everything in the psyche trace back to?
Sexual or libidinal conflicts
What does Jung believe shapes religious forms?
The collective unconscious manifested through archetypal images
What is a key takeaway regarding the views of Freud, James, and Jung?
They illustrate dramatically different interpretations of religion
