Notes

Name: Sigmund Freud
Years: Late 19th century to early 20th century
Where: Vienna, Austria
Thesis: Scientists such as Sigmund Freud
Topic Sentence: The 20th century Austrian physicist Sigmund Freud has achieved great prominence and recognition for his innovative ideas regarding therapy, sexuality and the human mind.
Concession: Though Freud lived in a foreign country during a time quite different from our own, he nonetheless
Conclusion 1: Though _ may not be a real character from history, such as Sigmund Freud/Sigmund Freud's patients, - nonetheless
Conclusion 2: Although _ and Freud lived during very different epochs of history, they both, nonetheless
Detail Sentence 1: Freud was a revolutionary - He pioneered the notion that people's personalities were determined by critical factors, such as childhood and that people were born with innate sexual desires.
Detail Sentence 2: Additionally, Freud rebelled against/challenged the medical establishment of his time by preferring therapy to medicine and by curing many patients that his contemporaries dubbed "pathological."
Detail Sentence 3: Freud was able to achieve these scientific advancements by using the "Talking Cure", as Freud believed that uncensored talk would lead his patents to self-discovery.
Famous Case: The case of Anna O, in which Freud abated the irrational phobias of a young woman
Doctor on Anna O Case: Josef Breuer
Doctor outside of Austria: Wilhelm Fliessed
1. Self-discovery/Self Identity
-What truly merits discussion is that Freud's fame can be directly attributed to his actions, as he was efficacious in curing many patients, including Anna O (a young woman with irrational phobias)
-Additionally, Freud's prominence can also be ascribed to his ideas, particularly those which indicate that mental trauma can be cured through psychoanalysis and free-association
-As Freud's ideas and actions culminated in his success, they embody the idea that Freud's personality/identity was not forged by his appearance
-Identity is based on mind and acts of creation
2. Heroism/Leadership
-What truly merits discussion is that Freud serves as a great hero/leader/role model, especially for those who battle adversity
-As Freud, a jew, lived in Austria during a time in which Anti-semitism ran rampant, he faced professional difficulties, his theories were questioned, and his security was threatened; Freud even had to temporarily flee Austria and leave his practice behind due to the dangers that accompanied his religion.
-Despite this discrimination, Freud still achieved medical breakthroughs, including the famous case of Anna O (in which he abated the irrational fears of a young woman), and his theories remain relevant to this day.
3. Material vs. Fulfillment
-What truly merits discussion is that Freud's medical breakthroughs and scientific developments were motivated by his curiosity and drive for success
-Freud was not particularly concerned with money or material goods; Rather, he wanted to use medicine as a means to impact the world and make a name for himself
-For this reason, Freud found happiness in his medical accomplishments, including the famous case of Anna O, in which he abated the irrational fears of a young woman.
4. Adversity/Tragedy
-What truly merits discussion is that despite the religious persecution that Freud faced, he still grew stronger in the face of adversity
-As Freud, a Jew, lived in Austria during a time in which anti-semitism ran rampant, he faced professional difficulties, his theories were questioned and his security was threatened; Freud was even forced to temporarily flee Austria and leave his practice behind due to the dangers that accompanied his religion
-However, this adversity only made Freud work harder to achieve his dreams
-Freud, even in isolated, reached out to jewish scientists such as Josef Breuer and Wilhelm Fliessed, allowing him to achieve such medical breakthroughs as the famous case of Anna O, in which he abated the irrational phobias of a young girl
-In this way, the discrimination Freud faced only forced him to work harder, and as a result, his theories about psychoanalysis remain relevant to this day
5. Honesty vs. Deception
-What truly bears discussion is that Freud believed honesty was crucial in the process of mental recovery and that lying was often the root of mental illnesses
-Freud even stated "being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise"
-Additionally, Freud's theories often suggested that in order for his patients to recover, they needed to be honest with themselves by uncovering their subconscience memories and desires
-Honesty trumps veracity and that deception can have harmful consequences (cause of mental trauma)
6. Independence vs. Following the Crowd/Originality vs. Imitation
-What truly merits discussion is that Freud was completely innovative, revolutionary and independent - he was not one to simply follow the crowd
-For example, Freud was the first to suggest that mental trauma derived from repressed memories or desires for sexual abuse
-Additionally, Freud consistently challenged the medical establishment of his time by using talking methods instead of technological techniques (such as electroshock therapy)
-Freud's new treatments and techniques allowed him to achieve such medical breakthroughs as the famous case of Anna O, in which he acted the irrational phobias of a young woman
7-1. Creativity
-What is truly remarkable is that Freud not only influenced the scientific world, but he also impacted the artistic world as well
- Freud's deception of humans, as being emotional creatures that are driven by subconscious wants and desires, had a huge impact
on early 20th century art
-Freud's ideas provided the intellectual context for expressionists such as surrealists and cubists to experiment with abstraction in their works
-Freud's influence on art embodies the idea that art reflects current events in society, and therefore provides insight into the changing world that surrounds us.
7-2. Technology
-What truly bears discussion is that Freud rejected the conventional use of modern technology to cure mental diseases
-While most of his contemporaries use pharmaceutical drugs or electroshock therapy to cure mental trauma, Freud relied purely on the power of talking.
-Freud believed that technology could have a dehumanizing effect, as drugs often abated a person's personality and shock therapy had the potential to cause brain damage
8. Competition vs. Cooperation
-What truly merits discussion is that Freud's theories were not developed alone, as he often collaborated with his contemporaries
-For example, Freud often worked with the Jewish neurosurgeon, Josef Breuer
-Their combined efforts allowed them to achieve medical breakthroughs, such as in the famous case of Anna O, in which they abated the irrational phobias of a young woman
9. Wisdom/Learning From the Past
-What truly bears discussion is that Freud believed the past was crucial in the process of mental recovery
-In fact, Freud cured many of his patients, including Anna O (a young woman with irrational phobias) with this very philosophy that his patients needed to uncover their repressed memories of the past, in order to recover
-In other words, Freud believed that his patients needed to learn from the past in order to move forward
-Past can be used for curing mental illnesses