Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the theories of Sigmund Freud, as both a philosopher and a medical doctor. The paper critically examines Freud's belief that "the unconscious knows no chance." It discusses his two basic principles of civilization, as well as the theories behind the principles. The paper applies his theories to dreams and determines if his hypotheses can be supported.

From the Paper:

"Freud used these same theories to explain how myths develop in a society. If the mind makes up these fantasies intentionally and a society is nothing more than a collection of individual fantasies then phallic symbols in art are nothing more than the collective fantasies of a society. This supports the idea of common themes in the interpretation of dreams, slips, and jokes. There are few explanations as to how myths develop. Many feel that myths are simply made up stories and that they have no basis in reality. Others feel that the stories have a basis in some real event but that the facts of been changed so that it can be remembered and retold. Of these two extremes, Freud's theories appear to be the most plausible because the stories are real, and fictional at the same time. The myth is a prime example of how the mind leaves nothing to chance. Myths are carefully constructed so that they represent the collective conscience of an entire nation or peoples."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Freud, S. (1908 [1907]). Creative writers and day-dreaming. S.E. 9: I43 - 53.
• Freud, S. (1901), The Psychopathology of Everyday Life, SE 6, trs. from Zur Psychopathologie des Alltagslebens, Berlin 1904, GW 4.
• Laplanche, J., and Pontalis, J.-B. (1986 [1968]). Fantasy and the origins of sexuality. In Formations of fantasy, ed. V. Burgin, J. Donald, and C. Kaplan, 5 - 34. London and New York: Methuen. Reprinted from Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 1968

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