Abstract

After a condensed and lucid summary of Classical Psychoanalysis, this Indian philosopher applies the criterion of self-referential consistency to criticize Freud's application of psychoanalytic categories to the phenomenon of religion. Professor Masih argues that Freud's account of religion fails to account for other religions than Monotheism. He interprets this desire to dethrone the God of Monotheism as a consequence of Freud's repressed father-hatred and extends this technique of psychoanalyzing Freud to see in his metaphysics of materialism a subconscious love of the mother. There are elements of experience that transcend any psychoanalytic account of that experience. Whereas neurosis is necessarily infantile, the infantile aspects of such adult experiences as religion is not necessarily neurotic. Freud's genius in developing the psychoanalytic method is a case in point. Masih then argues that Freud's mistaken application of this method of treating individuals to social phenomena involves regression into a neurotically determined prejudice. The final irony is that even Freud's psychoanalytic method has the religious dimension of a humanistic concern for man's salvation from illness.—T. R. H.