Question

Sigmund Freud theorized that men unconsciously experience “castration anxiety.” When his fellow analysts questioned this notion and asked for his evidence, Freud accused them of being mistaken and held fast to his assertions. He wrote: “One hears of analysts who boast that, though they have worked for dozens of years, they have never found a sign of the existence of the castration complex. We must bow our heads in recognition of … [this] piece of virtuosity in the art of overlooking and mistaking.” Which rule of science was Freud violating in this case? Fully explain why this a violation of that rule of science.

Answer 1

Answer:

Freud presented a hypothesis, but showed no evidence to prove its veracity.

Explanation:

Feud established the idea of “castration anxiety” as a hypothesis, that is, an assumption about a certain situation that happens, in this case, he created this hypothesis related to human behavior through his unconscious. However, any hypothesis must be confirmed or disapproved through a scientific experiment that provides evidence to prove that the hypothesis is true or false. Freud did not present this evidence, but maintained his position in relation to "castration anxiety." This indicates that Freud did not carry out an experiment, which prevents the hypothesis created by him from being considered true or false.