List Books Toward Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning
| ISBN: | 0738203548 (ISBN13: 9780738203546) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Viktor E. Frankl
Paperback | Pages: 208 pages Rating: 4.04 | 2500 Users | 210 Reviews
Particularize Epithetical Books Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning
| Title | : | Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning |
| Author | : | Viktor E. Frankl |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 208 pages |
| Published | : | August 11th 2000 by Basic Books (first published 1979) |
| Categories | : | Psychology. Philosophy. Nonfiction. Spirituality. Religion. Self Help. Inspirational |
Ilustration In Pursuance Of Books Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning
*****************Many readers have confused "Man's Search for Meaning" with "Man's Search for ULTIMATE Meaning" and put their review under the the wrong title. Be aware that these are TWO DIFFERENT BOOKS. They are NOT two different editions of the same book.**************I'm not sure I was ever convinced that Freud's interpretation of the mind was correct, which renders at least 50% of this book pointless since much of it is dedicated to disproving his ideas.
The arguments in favor of Frankl's own ideas--though I like many of the ideas--are not wholly convincing either. Take the beginning of the chapter "The Transcendent Quality of Conscience":
Essentially, phrases such as the "voice of the conscience" or being "a servant to one's conscience" are taken to be proof that the conscience is something beyond ourselves--that it is transcendent. As a linguist, my first thought was, do such phrases exist cross-linguistically in hundreds of languages? But even so, I really can't take this as proof of any kind of psychological fact. The rest of the chapter elaborates on this concept without further exploring whether it's actually valid.
Nonetheless, Frankl's ideas are a bit uplifting and will likely make you feel a bit more positive about life if nothing else. It seems to be that many readers got that out of his memoir.
Rating Epithetical Books Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning
Ratings: 4.04 From 2500 Users | 210 ReviewsAssess Epithetical Books Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning
Thinking I had picked up the storied, heralded "Man's Search for Meaning", I was mesmerized by Frankl's easy way with discussing abstract psychological concepts, and applying them to concrete situations. But the shine did not wear off once I learned it was another "meaning" book by the logo-therapy trailblazer.Frankl here concerns himself with that murky line between psychological analysis and religious exploration that both intertwine with self-development. His religious discussion is decidedlyI re-read this for the third or fourth time. Highly recommended given the times we are in right now and the sense of fear and powerlessness that pervades our environment and very beings.
This read a lot like a psychology textbook. Maybe that is basically what it is used for, but I just was expecting more of a story. There were still great little nuggets in the book and it was thought-provoking, I just wasn't quite expecting all the academic vocabulary and research.
Amazing, intuitive, human observations make this book one that everyone should read. It took me a while to finish this book. I didn't want to rush through and miss the nuances that provide such a thorough presentation of man's need to have meaning in his life. I now understand that every single person has a meaningful life and it's just a matter of recognizing it. Under the most stressful, dangerous, life-threatening circumstances imaginable in life, I can see that life always holds meaning.
I must confess to harboring a lot of skepticism towards Frankl's ideas here. If I may crudely paraphrase his thesis as outlined in the preface: in times of distress many people experience spiritual feelings which therefore suggests the existence of god. And because the feelings of awe and zeal that we experience when communing with Something beyond ourselves are expressed as mental stimulation, the study of spirituality becomes the domain of psychiatry and not solely theology. Hmm.Well, Frankl,
If you are a graduate student or even an undergraduate student of psychiatry, this book will be very likely a page turner for you. I'm not so it was slow going at first unlike the first book, Man's Search for Meaning. The terms and language used are at a higher academic level even for someone with a Masters degree in engineering! But eventually it turned more practical and used examples to make the author's points more understandable. And there were certainly some memorable nuggets that I found:
When in the concentration camp after they have killed everyone you know, taken everything from you, and I mean everything, Victor Frankl still has a choice, he still has something. Nearly all of us would've had nothing. Similar to the hope expressed in the shawshank redemption but so much more desperate. Mr. Frankl takes us with him on this journey. How could anyone human behave that way? But throughout all the pain and suffering the one thing they could not take from Victor was his soul. Victor
0 Comments:
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.