First published in German in 1927 and in English in 1928, “The Future of an Illusion” is Sigmund Freud’s seminal work on the psychology of religion in which Freud discusses the history of and psychological basis for religion. Chief amongst the arguments of the work is that religion is ultimately the result of the psychological struggle against the ultimate fate of life, death. So strong is the desire to give meaning to life that our ancestors created their various myths long ago. Freud further explains the psychological desire to bring about order in a chaotic world and the consequential demand for an organizing force that gives power to religion. Once empowered organized religion perpetuates itself through the strength of tradition and a culture which penalizes doubt, Freud argues. A clearly atheistic polemic against religion, “The Future of an Illusion” presents some compelling arguments for the phenomenon of religion and what future place there might be for it in a modern society.
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