Howard Gardner, Plato and Sigmund Freud - Essay Example

Howard Gardner, Plato and Sigmund Freud Sigmund Feud, Howard Gardner, and Plat are some of the greatest theorists and philosophers of all time. Although the three have had a huge influence on others and different fields of study, analyses of the life history of the theorists and philosophers show that they were also influenced by others and certain events in their lives. The aim of this document is to explore the lives of the three to identify the events and those who influenced these theorists and philosophers. Sigmund Feud Sigmund Feud is regarded as one of the greatest thinkers of all time. Feud is also known as the father of psychoanalysis. Feud was born in 1856 and died in 1939 (Puner 251). Although feud is no more, the great thinker left a big legacy in the field of psychology. This is because he developed theories that have influenced the field a great deal. In fact, his biography shows that although he studied medicine, he had no passion for the field. He is said to have been very passionate about research and the sciences - something that prompted him to study hypnotism and the ways in which psychologists can use it to assist those suffering from mental illnesses. Feud later dumped hypnotism to start studying association and dream analysis, which resulted in the development of "the talking cure." In fact, "the talking cure" later became a fundamental element of Feuds psychoanalysis theory (Puner 253). Feud has been influential in different ways. Feuds first major contribution to the field of psychology is the development of the theory of the human mind; clinical methods used to help those who feel unhappy, as well as the theory of human behavior. Additionally, Feud is also remembered for his invention of the idea of unconscious, which have influenced the field of psychology in a big way. Although Feud influenced many psychologists who came after him, his biography shows that he was also influenced a great deal by certain individuals and historical events in his life. The first person that had a great influence on Feud was the great French psychiatrist Jean-Martin Charcot. Charcot having been Feuds teacher impacted a great deal on his life and influenced him to live medicine in favor of science and research. In fact, Ritvo shows that Feud lived with Charcot for about four months from 1885-1886, where he made Feud believe in his theory in which he claimed that hysteria is caused by organic factors and that hysteria portray symptoms that are regular and comprehensible in patterns (183). Puner shows that Feud even agreed with Charcots theory at some point and only rejected it later (259). Additionally, the great influence that Charcot had on Feud is also made apparent by the fact that Feud acknowledged him by naming his first son after Charcot. The second personality that had a huge influence on Feud was Josef Breuer, who was his best friend and collaborator in the 1880s. It is said that Breuer influenced Feud to adopt an approach that is similar to that used by Breuer in the study of hysteria. In this regard, it is noted that Breuers approach that involved providing treatment to one patient at a time proved transformative to the clinical practice of the great French thinker. Thirdly, Ritvo observed that Feud was also greatly influenced by Darwin and that some of the thoughts and ideas expressed in his theory were derived from Darwin (183). Additionally, it is suggested that Feuds understanding of human psychology must have been influenced by the plays that he read in Shakespeare. In this respect, Puner reveals that Feud loved reading Shakespeares plays most of the time in his entire life (251). Accordingly, this suggested that some of his thoughts on human psychology must have been derived from the play. Other individuals who are believed to have influenced Feud include his lecturers, which included Franz Brentano, Ernst Brücke, and Carl Claus. Howard Gardner Howard Gardner is one of the worlds famous psychologists, theorist and educationist whose works have impacted thinking and educational practice. The great American thinker was born in 1943 and is regarded as the father of the theory of multiple intelligences, which has impacted the field of psychology and the education practice hugely. As much as Gardner has made a lot of contribution in the education practice and the field of psychology, his ideas and thoughts were influenced greatly by certain personalities and events in his life. According to Gardner, most of his ideas and thoughts, as well as the development of the multiple intelligence theory was greatly influenced by Erik Erickson. Gardner and Laskin reveal that he met Erickson in Harvard University where in 1961 after changing a course from history to social sciences (44). Accordingly, it was during his interaction with Erickson that he derived some of his thoughts that have contributed greatly to the education practice and the field of psychology. Secondly, Gardner reveals that his career was greatly influenced by psychologist Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner. In this regard, Ford states that these two great psychologists influenced his career and some of his thought since he worked for them for some time as a young researcher (3). It was during his stay with the great thinkers that he began developing an interest in psychology. Additionally, Gardner also gives some of his credit to neurologists Norman Geschwind; and the philosopher Nelson Goodman. Gardner and Laskin reveal that he teamed up with the two great thinkers, where they co-founded the "Project Zero" which focused mainly on the study of creativity and artistic thoughts (46). Gardner states that it was during this time that his ideas regarding multiple intelligences grew. Further, Gardner reveals that having married a developmental psychologist, Ellen Winner, who is a professor at Boston College also, had a huge influence on his ideas and thoughts regarding multiple intelligences. Plato Plato is regarded as a great philosopher whose philosophies had a great influence on the western thoughts and peoples understanding of the nature and the influence of knowledge. Plato I believed to have been born in 428 BCE in Athens, Greece (Jayapalan 83). However, his biography shows that, as much as he grew to become a great philosopher, he had to overcome many challenges. For instance, he father died when he was still very young. However, this did not deter him from achieving his dream of becoming a great philosopher. Like other philosophers, Platos thoughts and ideas were greatly influenced by some people whom he interacted and by the life events. The first major event that influenced Platos thoughts was his meeting with Socrates, the Greek Philosopher. Jayapalan noted that Plato was so impressed with the way Socrates debated issues to the extent that he decided to become a close associated of Socrates (86). It was during his association with Socrates that Plato began dedicating his life to the formation of good character and ethical behaviors. Secondly, Plato was greatly influenced by the Peloponnesian War that was fought between Athens and Sparta. The defeat of Athens saw Spartan take the reign of power where they introduced a tyrannical rule. Some of Platos relatives were powerful men in this tyrannical government whose brief rule violated the rights of Athenians (Kahn 14). However, after the overthrow of this oppressive regime, Plato decided to venture into politics but was forced to quit and return to the study of life and philosophy after the execution of Socrates. In conclusion, Sigmund Feud, Howard Gardner and Plato are some of the greatest thinkers who have had a great impact on the various field of study, including psychology and education. However, from the analysis, it has become apparent that these great thinkers were also influenced by certain personalities with whom they interacted and other events that occurred in their lives. Works Cited Ford, Liz. “Howard Gardner: Thought for the Future.” The Guardian 21 November 2006: 3. Print. Gardner, Howard and Emma Laskin. Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2011. Print. Jayapalan, N. Plato. New Delhi, India: Atlantic Publishers & Dist., 1999. Print. Kahn, Charles H. Plato and the Socratic Dialogue: The Philosophical Use of a Literary Form. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Print. Puner, Helen W. Sigmund Freud: His Life and Mind. Boston, MA: Transaction Publishers, 1992. Print. Ritvo, Lucille B. “The Impact of Darwin on Feud,” Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 43 (1974): 183. Print. Read More