Frankls Theory Chapter 14 = Study Victor Frankl - Existential Theory THE EXISTENTIAL THEORY OF VICTOR FRANKL BACKGROUND Existential Psychology • Existential philosophers • Kierkegaard & Heidegger → Studied Freud & Adler placed undue emphasis on will to pleasure • → Freud Adler focused too much on will to power → Third Viennese school of Psychotherapy. • Transcendental theory of being • Life is given to us so that we can find meaning, even in suffering. • VIEW OF THE PERSON Humans have been given the freedom to exercise responsibility • We live on a dimension of meaning in realizing timeless values emanating from a • divine/transhuman dimension. 1. The Freedom to be Responsible Human being = Spiritual being • Has freedom & responsibility. → Not just a highly developed animal → Free will = Freedom to choose • on conditioning or drives → Can’t blame our actions Have to bear responsibility → 2. A Level of Being Beyond Animal Existence is impossible without a sense of purpose •True fulfillment Every situation contains a challenge to live our lives purposefully, with meaning. •
Frankls Theory Chapter 14 = Study Victor Frankl - Existential Theory THE EXISTENTIAL THEORY OF VICTOR FRANKL BACKGROUND • Existential Psychology • Kierkegaard & Heidegger → Existential philosophers • Studied Freud & Adler → Freud placed undue emphasis on will to pleasure → Adler focused too much on will to power • Third Viennese school of Psychotherapy. • Transcendental theory of being • Life is given to us so that we can find meaning, even in suffering. VIEW OF THE PERSON • Humans have been given the freedom to exercise responsibility • We live on a dimension of meaning in realizing timeless values emanating from a divine/transhuman dimension. 1. The Freedom to be Responsible • Human being = Spiritual being → Has freedom & responsibility. → Not just a highly developed animal • Free will = Freedom to choose → Can’t blame our actions on conditioning or drives → Have to bear responsibility 2. A Level of Being Beyond Animal Existence •True fulfillment is impossible without a sense of purpose • Every situation contains a challenge to live our lives purposefully, with meaning.
PYC2601-Frankls-Theory-Chapter-14.docx