Psychoanalytic Argument for
Determinism - (from Freud &
Hospers)

1. neurotic behavior
2. hypnosis

The psychoanalytic argument states that
the personality is developed by the age of
five. Unconscious motives that we cannot
usually see drive behavior.

Sigmund Freud came up with this idea,
and explained the constituents of
personality by breaking it into three key
components:

1. Id - the animal side - has primal
desires for food, sex and pleasure; seeks
immediate gratification

2. Superego - the “Inner Hitler” -
represses desires; essentially your
conscience to the extreme

3. Ego - the diplomat - arbitrates between
the id and the superego; this is your
conscious awareness

Freud believed that a healthy balance
between the id and the superego is ideal.

Psychoanalytic
Criticisms

1. Perhaps people are free in areas in
which they’re not neurotic. What if I just
want a glass of water? There is probably
not a massive internal struggle going on
inside of me, weighing the pros and cons
of a glass of water, one side telling me
“Just drink the damn water!”, the other
telling me “Perhaps it’s better not to
drink.” Some things are just trivial.

2. Regardless, most of the time
explanations in terms of conscious
intentions are adequate.

Argument from Poor Prediction in
Psychology

Well, if we have the personality defined so
well, why can’t we predict people’s
actions, motives, desires, etc.? I guess it
must not be that simple.

1. There are such things as random
occurrences. Perhaps I accidentally fell
through a window. If you don’t believe in
randomness, then try explaining that in
terms of id and superego, and see how
far you get.

2. Human beings are complex and
diverse individuals. Not all people will
react the same way to the same stimuli.