Man’s Search for Man’s Search for MeaningMeaning

Viktor FranklViktor Frankl

Dr. Viktor FranklDr. Viktor Frankl• 1905-19971905-1997• 3 years of his life in 3 years of his life in

concentration campsconcentration camps• 1942-19451942-1945

• Professor of both Professor of both neurology and neurology and psychiatrypsychiatry• Specialized in Specialized in

treatment of treatment of depression and depression and suicidesuicide

• Wrote 32 books, Wrote 32 books, translated into 23 translated into 23 languageslanguages

LogotherapyLogotherapy

• Frankl created the 3Frankl created the 3rdrd Viennese Viennese School of PsychologySchool of Psychology• Freud: PsychoanalysisFreud: Psychoanalysis• Adler: Individual PsychologyAdler: Individual Psychology• Frankl: LogotherapyFrankl: Logotherapy

• logos = reason/wordlogos = reason/word• therapy = heal therapy = heal

Man’s Search for Man’s Search for MeaningMeaning

• Originally published in 1959 under Originally published in 1959 under the title the title

From Death-Camp to ExistentialismFrom Death-Camp to Existentialism

• Premise: “I will try to answer this Premise: “I will try to answer this question: How was everyday life in question: How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner?” the mind of the average prisoner?” (Frankl 21)(Frankl 21)

Man’s Search for Man’s Search for MeaningMeaning

• ““I had wanted simply to convey to the I had wanted simply to convey to the reader by way of a concrete example that reader by way of a concrete example that life holds a potential meaning under any life holds a potential meaning under any conditions, even the most miserable ones. conditions, even the most miserable ones. And I thought that if the point were And I thought that if the point were demonstrated in a situation as extreme as demonstrated in a situation as extreme as that in a concentration camp, my book that in a concentration camp, my book might gain a hearing. I therefore felt might gain a hearing. I therefore felt responsible for writing down what I had responsible for writing down what I had gone through, for I thought it might be gone through, for I thought it might be helpful for people prone to despair.” helpful for people prone to despair.” (Frankl 16)(Frankl 16)

•““An abnormal reaction An abnormal reaction to an abnormal to an abnormal situation is normal situation is normal behavior.” (Frankl 38)behavior.” (Frankl 38)

• ““Let one attempt to expose a Let one attempt to expose a number of the most diverse number of the most diverse people uniformly to hunger. With people uniformly to hunger. With the increase of the imperative the increase of the imperative urge hunger all individual urge hunger all individual differences will blur, and in their differences will blur, and in their stead will appear the uniform stead will appear the uniform expression of the one unstilled expression of the one unstilled urge” (Freud)urge” (Freud)

•““That which does not That which does not kill me, makes me kill me, makes me stronger.” (Nietzsche)stronger.” (Nietzsche)

GROUP WORKGROUP WORK

• On the block paper, please do the On the block paper, please do the following:following:• Draw the spectrum of philosophy and Draw the spectrum of philosophy and

place Frankl on itplace Frankl on it• Please also place each group member Please also place each group member

on the spectrum as wellon the spectrum as well• According to your assigned school of According to your assigned school of

philosophy, record at least 5-10 philosophy, record at least 5-10 examples of how that philosophy was examples of how that philosophy was manifested by the behavior in the manifested by the behavior in the campscamps