Civilization and Its Discontents: Freud Research Paper

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Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents

Socrates on Freud's Civilization and its Discontents:

Religion, the nature of man and the value of inquiry

According to Sigmund Freud's Civilization and its Discontents, certain aspects of human nature are immutable. In some ways I do agree with this: I believe that every human being has a certain, innate tendency or ability to do something uniquely well. That is why I devised my vision of an ideal society as a philosophic kingdom, in which those deemed most fit to rule will rule; those who are most fit to defend the body politic are charged with protecting it, and those most fit to perform trades are charged with these manual laboring tasks. However, Freud seems to suppose that everyone is driven by the same urges, namely that of sex, and all other aspects of culture, including the drive for philosophical knowledge are actually a displacement of this urge so human beings can fit into civilization.

I do not believe that the fundamental drive of all human beings is desire but rather knowledge. In fact, it is only casting away the bodily desire that we truly become liberated and can throw off our chains and see past the shadows of the walls on the cave. The world we live in is an illusion and it is the world of the forms that is the higher, true reality.

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Freud sees civilization as a good thing, in some ways, in the ways it disciplines the ego to reality: it "recognizes an outside, the external world... afforded by the frequent, unavoidable and manifold pains and unpleasant sensations which the pleasure-principle, still in unrestricted domination, bids it abolish or avoid" (Freud 3). But I would argue that reality is often a denial of the truth that lies within, just as I was able, with prompting to guide a young man never schooled in geometry through a philosophical proof in the dialogue Meno.

Both Freud and I would concede that some form of civilization, some form of society is necessary. Of course, I have often stood apart from Athenian society, such as when I was condemned for supposedly corrupting the youth in Athens when I was merely disquieting people by asking provoking questions. But I conceded to drink the cup of hemlock because I had agreed to the….....

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