Freud's view on the moral argument

1. ‘A’ Level Philosophy and Ethics
Notes
The Moral Argument – Freud’s Objections
These notes will also be useful when you study the various
Psychological Objections to Religious Belief. They will also be
useful for the A2 Synoptic Unit, where you have to relate topics
studied in Philosophy with the Ethics units.
For example, you might be asked to explain how some of the
ideas from ethics and morality are affected by the arguments
proposed by Freud and Jung
Newman argued that the Conscience acted as the “Voice of God” guiding
the faithful. Kant argued that God stands as the guarantor of moral
behaviour. Combining the two theories allows the philosopher to argue
that morality is only meaningful if there is some sort of Divine Authority
behind “good behaviour”. This authority is enforced through the action of
the conscience.
You will need to remind yourself of the arguments about Relative and
Absolute morality!
One way to criticise this argument is to consider the nature of the
Conscience.
Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939)
To find out about Freud and his ideas, there is a superb article in the
Oxford Companion to Philosophy.
You can read it simply by typing “Freud” in the X-REFER box on the A Level page
of the RPE Website.
Freud trained as a Doctor in Vienna, before travelling to Paris to study
Neurology. He began to develop his theories of the sources of Mental
Illness while working with the famous French Neurologist Jean Charcot.
Freud came to believe that mental illness is caused by the repressed
memories of childhood traumas
In his clinical observations Freud found evidence for the mental mechanisms of repression
and resistance. He described repression as a device operating unconsciously to make the
memory of painful or threatening events inaccessible to the conscious mind. Resistance is
defined as the unconscious defense against awareness of repressed experiences in order
to avoid the resulting anxiety. He traced the operation of unconscious processes, using the
free associations of the patient to guide him in the interpretation of dreams and slips of
speech. Dream analysis led to his discoveries of infantile sexuality and of the so-called
Oedipus complex, which constitutes the erotic attachment of the child for the parent of the
opposite sex, together with hostile feelings toward the other parent. In these years he also
developed the theory of transference, the process by which emotional attitudes, established
originally toward parental figures in childhood, are transferred in later life to others ..1
1"Freud, Sigmund," Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. ©
1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

2. The Moral Argument – Freud’s Objections
Freud believed that an individual developed psychological mechanisms
through their relationships with their parents. These mechanisms, buried
in the subconscious, are what we know as The Conscience.
Freud thought that there were various functions of the mind. He
divided it into three sections:
The Ego The Id The Superego
The ego begins to The Id is usually This part of the
develop from birth. referred to as the mind controls the
As the he begins to unconscious. It is impulses of the Id.
experience the the seat of biological The Superego
external world, the impulses, and is develops from early
ego begins to controlled by the childhood as
modify the baby’s Pleasure Principle. parents and society
behaviour, This compels the as the child tries to
controlling socially person to find instant conform to their
unacceptable gratification – usually expectations.
impulses. this is associated
with sexual drives.
Freud believed that the Conscience develops as a child - he also believed
that the child develops a sexual attraction to their (opposite sex) parent.
This then develops into a jealousy of the (same sex) parent.
For example – a small boy may develop a sexual attraction for their
mother, and a jealousy of the close relationship between mother and
father. OOOEEER!
Society frowns on these feelings, so the child represses the feelings in their
sub-conscious. They worry about disappointing their parents, and become
conditioned into behaving the way that their parents would approve of.
Conscience therefore is based on the guilt of disappointing parents, and
on the pressure of conforming to society’s concepts of appropriate
behaviour. It is an internal action of the mind, and is basically the result
of conditioning from society and family.
Modern Psychology has developed Freud’s argument. They argue that
there are different levels of development in the conscience.
The Mature Conscience The Immature Conscience
A Mature Conscience is able to The Immature Conscience is
use reason to establish the best more emotional, concerned
course of action. about acceptance by others
rather than a rational
evaluation of the situation.
2

3. The Moral Argument – Freud’s Objections
Mature Conscience Immature Conscience
The mature conscience The Immature Conscience is
rationalises its decisions. It more concerned with “fitting in”
works out what is right and and approval. It bases its
wrong through an evaluation of decisions on emotion, rather
values. than reason.
J. L. Mackie argues that the evidence for biological, sociological and
psychological explanations for conscience means that the Moral
Argument no longer has a valid defence.
3