Sigmund Freud's Complete Psychological Works: "The Future of an Illusion"

Phillip Jacobs: Well written, an engaging read. I read it in the course of one afternoon inbetween this and that. No typographical errors that stood out to me. Left me wanting more Freud to read (happily more is on the way)

Australia on May 11, 2021

Silvio V.: WAY better translation than the old one. Recommended

Italy on Jan 15, 2020

C57JN4T: Excellent read, especially the first part. Didn’t fully understand Part 2. Will read again sometime.

Germany on Jan 06, 2019

Ajay Goyal: Nothing can beat Sigmund Freud when it comes understanding human mind

India on Mar 08, 2017

francois veilleux: excellent

Canada on Feb 28, 2017

Chris: Throughout this book Freud responds to would-be criticism to his views and claims which i thought were all apt arguments against the points Freud was trying to make. This was definitely one book that i was sad to see end. I felt that a lot more could have been said and that it was cut a bit short. While the ending quote, stated by another reviewer, seems to draw the most important pieces of this book together and ends it well, it was still disappointingly short. Keep in mind, Freud's opinions and conclusion that are illustrated throughout this book, and all his others are all products of his many years as the father of psychoanalysis.

The topic of this book seems to be very touchy, something you can't talk about with people, Freud basically states that you're not going to convince people otherwise when they strongly believe in something, as people often do religion. As an Atheist myself, i was more compelled to believe and be encouraged by these arguments and views on religion.

The approach Freud took towards this is not merely the effect of religion on the single person, but on a civilization. Why religion comes about, and why it seems to be needed by that...

United States on Jan 07, 2011

Keith Renn: In his 27 Feb 2006 review of Freud's The Future of an Illusion, Roger Schmeeckle misrepresents Freud's explanation (on pages 38-42 of this Norton publication) between Illusion and Delusion.

Roger correctly identified Freud's concept of Delusion as "something that is believed that is not true" -- but then oversimplifies by stating that Freud said an Illusion is "something that may be true or false, but is believed because we want to believe it."

This oversimplification ignores what Freud goes on to say, "Illusions need not be necessarily false - that is to say unrealizable or in contradiction to reality. For instance, a middle-class girl may have the illusion that a prince will come and marry her. This is possible; and a few such cases have occurred. That the Messiah will come is much less likely. Whether one classifies this belief as illusion or something analogous to delusion will depend on one's personal attitude."

The point being, that while the "absolute" truth or falsity of an illusion is debatable - common sense and reason enable us to infer or deduce where the truth actually lies. For instance, it IS possible that the Sun will rise in the west tomorrow...

United States on May 08, 2006