Was Freud's projection theory of religion rooted in his scholarly work of psychoanalysis?

Question

Or was it personal conjecture? What did he say?

NH Baritone: The reason for addressing Freud is because almost all the critiques of religion based in psychology are rooted exclusively in Freud's theories. So as long as people fire off ideas like "religion is a psychological cruch" etc, we will need to go back to him to sort it out.

Answer 1

MB, you don't help anyone by posting questions that suggest they're stupid. You clearly have read some of Freud in order to understand your own question. I have, too, but honestly, he's not on the primary reading list in graduate psychology programs any longer.

Since Freud invented psychoanalysis, everything he said on the subject was tainted by his own interpretations. It was an era when psychological science was in its infancy, and the systematic research into theories was not yet fully organized. Statistical analysis was not yet applied, but rather anecdotal evidence ruled the roost.

If you're going to address the psychological views of religion, you may want to draw upon research that is more current than writings that are approaching a century old.

Answer 2

No. Freud's nose was so thoroughly rooted in a pile of cocaine that the stuff he spewed was written through a cocaine haze of conjecture and nonsense...

Answer 3

I wouldn't bother. Freud was a fraud - he is the quintessential "psuedo science" example that K R Popper used.

Answer 4

Freud didn't say anything unless it was rooted in his psychoanalysis..that's so Freudian

Answer 5

You ask about a theory and then ask what the theory says? How odd. And how long has this been affecting you? When did you notice the first symptoms?

Answer 6

not sure what it was but not kosher