Paul Vitz
Encyclopedia
Paul C. Vitz ) is a Psychologist
at New York University
.
He graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan
in 1957 and with a Ph.D in Psychology from Stanford University
in 1962. Vitz analysed liberalism
and believes there is a link between fatherlessness and atheism, as he demonstrates in his book Faith of the Fatherless, the Psychology of Atheism
(1999). The thesis of Faith of the Fatherless holds that famous believers—e.g., Blaise Pascal
, Edmund Burke
, Friedrich Schleiermacher, Karl Barth
, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
—had strong and loving fathers, whereas their atheistic counterparts—e.g., Thomas Hobbes
, Voltaire
, Sigmund Freud
, Mao Zedong
and Adolf Hitler
—all had fathers who were weak, unloving, or absent. Thus, philosophers, professors, and political tyrants who denounce God do so in order to relive traumatic childhood experiences and to subconsciously seek out help rather than to explore any sort of valid or respectable reasoning process.
In his book Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self Worship he analyzes selfism
and contends that Psychology, based on current theories and practice, is oftentimes damaging. By a series of 'blaming' incidents for childhood experiences and 'trauma', people have victimhood placed upon them and therefore become victims. Vitz has stated that the academic, or secular humanistic, idea of creativity since the 19th century has been deeply flawed.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
He graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1957 and with a Ph.D in Psychology from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1962. Vitz analysed liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and believes there is a link between fatherlessness and atheism, as he demonstrates in his book Faith of the Fatherless, the Psychology of Atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
(1999). The thesis of Faith of the Fatherless holds that famous believers—e.g., Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
, Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
, Friedrich Schleiermacher, Karl Barth
Karl Barth
Karl Barth was a Swiss Reformed theologian whom critics hold to be among the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century; Pope Pius XII described him as the most important theologian since Thomas Aquinas...
, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and martyr. He was a participant in the German resistance movement against Nazism and a founding member of the Confessing Church. He was involved in plans by members of the Abwehr to assassinate Adolf Hitler...
—had strong and loving fathers, whereas their atheistic counterparts—e.g., Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury , in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy...
, Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
, Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
and Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
—all had fathers who were weak, unloving, or absent. Thus, philosophers, professors, and political tyrants who denounce God do so in order to relive traumatic childhood experiences and to subconsciously seek out help rather than to explore any sort of valid or respectable reasoning process.
In his book Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self Worship he analyzes selfism
Selfism
Selfism refers to any philosophy, doctrine, or tendency that upholds explicitly selfish principles as being desirable. It is usually used pejoratively.-Definition:...
and contends that Psychology, based on current theories and practice, is oftentimes damaging. By a series of 'blaming' incidents for childhood experiences and 'trauma', people have victimhood placed upon them and therefore become victims. Vitz has stated that the academic, or secular humanistic, idea of creativity since the 19th century has been deeply flawed.
Works
- Psychology As Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship (Wm. B. Eerdmans 1977, 1994 2nd Ed.)
- Modern Art and Modern Science: The Parallel Analysis of Vision, authored with Arnold B. Glimcher (Praeger, 1984)
- Sigmund Freud's Christian Unconscious, (Guilford Press, 1988)
- Censorship: Evidence of Bias in Our Children's Textbooks (Servant Books, 1986)
- The Course of True Love: Marriage in High School Textbooks, a Report to the Nation from the Council on Families (Institute for American Values, 1998)
- Defending the Family: A Sourcebook, edited with Stephen M. Krason (Catholic Social Science Press, 1998)
- Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism (Spence Publishing Company, 1999)
- The Self: Beyond the Postmodern Crisis, edited with Susan M. Felch (ISI Books, 2006)