Freud believes that the individual is helpless to his/her animal instincts and primal desires. Man possesses only a small amount of self-control. This self-control is simply self-awareness. Man is aware that he is a living, breathing being who must interact with other people in a conformed society. The organization and rules of a civilization repress man’s primal desires. He is constantly faced with trials and tribulations in which he is expected to respond to in a civilized manner. According to Freud, this repression only leads to bigger problems and ultimately it is the cause of man’s unhappiness. The response to these problems is guilt. Guilt is a civilized way of expression. If man would only follow his instincts, those that have been biologically and genetically implanted within him, the world might be a different and possibly better place. Presently, man is just a wild animal trapped in a cage.

Descartes’ ideas on the individual are qu

Skinner describes man as being a product of his environment. Raised in two different situations, an individual may become a completely different person. Man is his environment. Skinner discusses his thoughts and puts man into two categories: the controlled self and the controlling self. “When a person changes his physical or social environment ‘intentionally’- that is, in order to change human behavior, possibly including his own- he plays two roles: one as a controller, as the designer of a controlling culture, and another as the controlled, as the product of a culture.”(Beyond Freedom and Dignity, pg. 207) The controlled self is the result of a person’s surroundings. The environment makes the man. The controlling self, however, is what creates those surroundings in the first place. If man could control the environment, he could control mankind because the environment and civilization determine who and what the individual is and will be.

ite the opposite of Freud’s. In his Meditations, man is described as “a thinking thing…It is a thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, abstains from willing, that also can be aware of images and sensations.” (pg. 206) The body is simply a container for the mind. The mind and the soul are the most important parts of the individual because they are everlasting. The body will eventually perish and return to the earth. The

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Freedom Dignity, Freud’s Meditations, BF Skinner, God Descartes, According Freud, Freud Descartes, Civilization Discontent, controlling self, controlling self creates, freedom dignity pg, art science, understand human, freedom dignity, controlled self, pg 206, purpose life, mind soul, primal desires, dignity pg,