The Future of an Illusion [Paperback]

Sigmund Freud (Introduction), James Strachey (Editor), Peter Gay (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud | Publication Date: September 17, 1989

Of the various English translations of Freud's major works to appear in his lifetime, only one was authorized by Freud himself: The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud under the general editorship of James Strachey.

Freud approved the overall editorial plan, specific renderings of key words and phrases, and the addition of valuable notes, from bibliographical and explanatory. Many of the translations were done by Strachey himself; the rest were prepared under his supervision. The result was to place the Standard Edition in a position of unquestioned supremacy over all other existing versions. Newly designed in a uniform format, each new paperback in the Standard Edition opens with a biographical essay on Freud's life and work —along with a note on the individual volume—by Peter Gay, Sterling Professor of History at Yale.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) is one of the twentieth century's greatest minds and the founder of the psychoanalytic school of psychology. His many works include The Ego and the Id; An Outline of Psycho-Analysis; Inhibitions; Symptoms and Anxiety; New Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis; Civilization and Its Discontent, and others.

Peter Gay is the author of more than twenty-five books, including the National Book Award winner The Enlightenment, the best-selling Weimar Culture, and the widely translated Freud: A Life for Our Time. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Standard Edition edition (September 17, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393008312
• ISBN-13: 978-0393008319
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,076 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Behavioral Sciences > Behavioral Psychology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freud on Religion, January 21, 2003

By 

Christopher Hefele (Lawrenceville, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Future of an Illusion (Paperback)

Reading Freud is always refreshing -- not only is he a good writer, but he also has many deep psychological insights. In his 71 page text, "The Future of an Illusion," he tackles the subject of religion. A livelong atheist, Freud argues that religion is derived from a child-like sense of helplessness in the world. Its purpose, he says, is to explain the sometimes-unfathomable world, to provide societal order, and to give comfort and happiness (particularly for the "the masses" and the poor, uneducated and oppressed). Although Freud wants to reshape civilization's relationship with religion, he also recognizes that widespread atheism could undermine societal stability. Overall, this is a good, quick read -- perfect for those interested in religion/atheism, psychology and the intersection between the two.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How Freud viewed religion, May 4, 2005

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Future of an Illusion (Paperback)

The common perception of Sigmund Freud is that he was a pioneering psychiatrist with too much focus on the sexual aspects of human existence. However, he was very much a product of the European culture of the last decades of the nineteenth century. In this book, his focus is on religion and its role in civilization.
Freud considers religion to be an illusion, but one that is necessary. He argues that without some form of moralistic rudder, humans would be in a death struggle for resources until eventually nearly all would be killed. Therefore, in order for civilization to be possible, a code of behavior must exist, which generates the necessary order and cooperation. This requisite behavior was codified in formal religions, where people are taught to suppress their animal desires for goods, sex and sustenance, so that all will get a share and conflict is avoided. The payback for your deeds takes place after you die, where good deeds are rewarded with a place in heaven and evil deeds by a place of punishment. Freud notes that delaying the reward until after death then guarantees that the social behavior will last throughout ones life.
I recently read the book "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins. In that book, Dawkins argues that much of our altruistic behavior can be explained by simple formulas whereby the behavior leads to the presence of more copies of our genes. If this is combined with the valid points that Freud makes in this book, then it is possible that religious belief is coded in our genes. It is an interesting proposition and Freud's arguments are strong. I enjoyed reading this book and came away with a new appreciation for the quality of Freud's intellect.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Religion Explained ... Again, March 29, 2006

By 

Herbert L Calhoun "paulocal" (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Future of an Illusion (Paperback)

This short book is well worth the plunge. It gives a psychoanalytic answer to the questions, Why God? and Why we still need a god? The book, written late in Freud's career, remains controversial mostly because of the nature of the subject matter. However, one should not be surprised that Freud's analysis ends as it does - suggesting that the world might be better off without religion. Many reviewers attribute this conclusion to the fact that Freud himself was not a religious man. However, another point of view might be equally valid: any psychoanalytic analysis of religion -- even by a theist -- would likely have come to the same conclusion.

In fact, Freud's conclusion -- that religion is an illusion born out of a need to surmount fear of the unknown, with its central component being a "father complex" - - is not far removed from, and actually resonates with, that of other scientists -- in particular with John F. Schumaker's "The Wings of Illusion," as well as his much deeper "The Corruption of Reality," which carries these ideas much further; or even Pascal Boyer's "Religion Explained." For a refreshing opposing point of view that is also scientific, I found Peter Berger's Rumors of Angels a sensitive counterbalance to Freud's non-emotional approach.

While this was not Freud's best work, neither is it his worse. Given his Civilizations and its Discontents, it would be difficult to imagine him not having left a firm statement on the psychoanalytic nature of religion.

Because it is Freud, it deserves Five Stars.