Faith of the fatherless the psychology of atheism
"Starting with Freud and his 'projection theory' of religion, psychoanalysts have argued that belief in God is merely a producto f man's desire for security. In this updated, expanded edition, Professor Vitz argues that psychoanalysis actually provides a more satisfying explanati...
| Main Author: | Vitz, Paul C., 1935- |
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| Format: | Books Print Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
San Francisco :
Ignatius Press,
[2013].
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| Edition: | Second edition. |
| Subjects: |
| Summary: |
"Starting with Freud and his 'projection theory' of religion, psychoanalysts have argued that belief in God is merely a producto f man's desire for security. In this updated, expanded edition, Professor Vitz argues that psychoanalysis actually provides a more satisfying explanation for atheism: disappointment in one's early father, whether through death, absence, or mistreatment, frequently leads toa rejection of God. A biographical survey of influential athiests of the past four centuries shows that this 'defective father hypothesis' provides a consistent explanation fo the intese atheism of these thinkers. A survey of the leader defenders of Christianity over the same period confirms the hypothesis. Professor Vitz does not argue that atheim is psychologically determined. Each man, whatever his experiences, ultimately chooses to accept god or to reject him."--Back cover. |
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| Physical Description: |
xviii, 214 pages ; 23 cm |
| Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: |
9781586176877 1586176870 |
| Author Notes: |
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