Summary 'Critically compare Aquinas and Freud on the concept of guilt' essay plan
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Course
G582 - A2 Religious Ethics
Institution
OCR
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Critically compare Aquinas and Freud on the concept of guilt
Thesis example: Aquinas and Freud’s theory are different, and Freud is more accurate.
Freud – guilt forms from not following the superego
Aquinas – guilt results from synderesis and conscientia warning our will that an action is not good
and not in accordance with divine law
Aquinas Freud
Aquinas is better because his view on guilt Differ on the causes of guilt – Freud’s
is more helpful – Aquinas argues that guilt better - Freud differs from Aquinas on the
alerts us when we stray away from our concept of guilt because he focuses on the
purpose, this means that we are able to use psychological causes of guilt – that guilt occurs
guilt to help us to act morally, because it warns due to a conflict between the id and the
us that we are doing the wrong thing – then we superego (you ignore the superego and pursue
can effectively follow the will of God. However, desires = guilt), whereas Aquinas focuses on
Freud’s view on guilt is not helpful because he the theological causes of guilt and that guilt
argues that too much guilt can be harmful and arises from actions that do not follow the divine
result in mental health problems (he only law (Bible and human nature) e.g., euthanasia
explains, does not improve)– clearly shows would cause guilt because you are not
that Aquinas allows for a more proactive preserving life.
approach to guilt, that we are able to act on it
to improve our morals. This can help us to Freud’s is stronger because his focus on
create an ‘ordered’ society (5 primary psychological is more consistent with societal
precepts). views. Despite his theory being criticized for
being unscientific, he uses actual empirical
Counter: However, Freud’s view on guilt is evidence to explain where guilt comes from
more realistic – Freud argues that guilt is a and attempts to back it up with case studies,
negative feeling which arises from not whereas Aquinas just argues that guilt is
following authority and the morals of parents innate because we are not following
and the confliction of the id, ego and superego. synderesis which comes from God. So, his
Our experience of guilt is what Freud argues – emphasis on God is problematic (we can
e.g., I would feel guilty about eating unhealthily argue against the existence of God with things
because I know my id wants to eat it to fulfil like the problem of evil) in our increasingly
desires, but my superego would say that this is secular world (52% atheist), who would value
bad because I must eat healthily. We psychological evidence over theological.
experience these kind of conflicts in our lives,
making Freud’s theory on guilt accurate.
Aquinas’ view of guilt makes humans more Aquinas’ view is problematic because it is
morally responsible for our actions – this is not universal – Aquinas argues everyone has
because guilt arises from the failure of reason this tendency towards the primary precepts,
to rationally make correct decisions. This and we can use our reason to fulfil these. If we
makes it more appealing to free will because do not fulfil these, this is where guilt arises.
humans can be held morally accountable for However, Aquinas’ view on guilt is not a
our actions. Whereas Freud’s emphasis on universal experience (e.g., ‘to worship God’ is
that guilt arises from not following the not a universal precept – not everyone would
superego, this means that humans are not to feel guilty if they did not worship God).
blame when doing wrong, since their morals
arise from upbringing. However, Freud accounts for the differences in
consciences and that everyone has different
Counter: However, just because we may like amounts of guilt and reasons for their guilt. He
being held morally accountable for our actions acknowledges that guilt is not the same for
does not mean that it is accurate (e.g., we everybody – depending on how strict your
might say that moral accountability is good parents were and what society you grew up in
because it means we can punish people – these factors would explain the reasons why
however, moral accountability may not actually some people feel guilt, and some don’t. For
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