Civilisation: Utopia and Tragedy: The Social History of the Unconscious - Softcover

Frankl, George

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1871871174 ISBN 13: 9781871871173

Publisher: Open Gate Press, 1992

Synopsis

The second of two volumes on the social history of the unconscious, this text explores the history of Western civilization. By applying psychoanalytic concepts to the examination of the unconscious driving forces which have produced the great ideas of monotheism, Greek philosophy, democracy and scientific reasoning, the author provides insights into the conflicts of civilization and its failures to fulfil aspirations. Frankl asserts that it is particulary important at this time to understand the deep-seated conflicts of Western civilization, as it is exporting its ideas of freedom and democracy - and above all, its technology - to the rest of the world, while still plagued by self-doubt itself. Is what the West is exporting viable, or does it threaten to envelop the planet with machines which in fact enhance humanity's aggressive and self-destructive urges? With its world-wide influence, the West has assumed an unprecedented responsibility for humanity everywhere and for the survival of the planet and Frankl suggests that to fulfil this responsibility, we must understand the causes of our failures in order to resolve them.

About this title

About the Author

George Frankl was born in Vienna, where he studied philosophy and psychoanalysis. The Nazi invasion of Austria forced him to emigrate and, as soon as he could, he continued his studies, first in England and then in Canada. Towards the end of the war he came back to England and eventually settled in London where he has been in psychoanalytic practice for some 35 years.

Edition details

• Publisher: Open Gate Press
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 1871871174
• ISBN 13: 9781871871173
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 256