Viktor Frankl's View of the Person
The Freedom to Be Responsible
Humans are primarily spiritual beings with both freedom and responsibility.
We are more than just highly developed animals shaped by heredity and
environment.
We are constantly faced with choices and have the freedom to choose
(existential).
Because of free will, we can say yes or no, be held responsible for our choices,
and bear the consequences.
Even if we claim to give in to drives or conditioning, we are ultimately
responsible.
The ability to choose represents the noogenic (spiritual) dimension.
Fulfillment is not possible without a sense of purpose.
Human struggle is not just for survival but to find and experience meaning in
life.
Meaning in Life
Meaning refers to opportunities, tasks, or duties presented through our
conscience.
Every situation contains a unique challenge to live purposefully.
We can rise above and transcend mere existence.
Self-transcendence means we can rise above conditions to think and do
something about them.
"Only to the extent to which man fulfills a meaning out there in the world,
does he fulfill himself. If he sets out to actualize himself rather than fulfill a
meaning, self-actualization immediately loses its justification."
The will to meaning becomes stronger than other motivations as we mature.
We want to live purposefully and will make sacrifices for a cause.
Human has free will, and a will to meaning = based on
belief/worldview/philosophy of life, that life has meaning
Freedom without responsibility is senseless
Meaning is not created or invented = it is found i.e. meaning exists in an
objective sense
,The Transhuman Dimension
Meaning is not created but found.
We feel addressed by our conscience to act responsibly.
The conscience is the vehicle through which we detect meaning.
Conscience has transcendent qualities and functions at a higher level.
Life's meanings and values emanate from a Transhuman dimension, with
universal, timeless significance.
Life is unconditionally meaningful, illustrated by the phenomenon of faith.
In overcoming difficult situations, we can turn adversity into spiritual triumph.
The Personalization of Meaning
Cannot fully know the transhuman dimension, but can become more and more
open and receptive to the values in this dimension, which are timeless – and
everyone experiences these values in personal and unique ways
Meaning is not incorporated through religion, but unique to all of us – everyone
has the right and freedom to choose that which they are accountable to before
society, humanity, their own conscience or God
We are continually becoming what we are meant to be. The tension between
what is and what ought to be operates through our conscience until our last day
Something is meaningful only if we personally experience it so
Life holds meaning in all circumstances, and can be experienced by anyone
anywhere at anytime
People are unfulfilled unless they find a meaning
🧑🦱 Structure of the Personality
Three dimensions of personality:
Physical – combustion system, biochemical mechanisms, like
machines
Psychological – needs and drives, like animals
Spiritual – noogenic dimension, unique to humans.
Spiritual Dimension Makes us:
Open towards ourselves and the world, can think and change
Thus we are essentially spiritual beings who can direct our behavior
We are self-aware – and are present in everything we do or
experiencewe cant understand people if we loose sight of the
spiritual dimension of being
Spiritual core of personality
We have a spiritual core, and higher form of awareness
Not just our genetics or environment, but how we deal with what we
have been handed shapes our personalities
,⚙️ Dynamics of Personality
Our wills are not just about instincts (pleasure) or ensuring self-preservation
(power), but are orientated to meaning
Human beings transcend themselves and their circumstances. Dynamics thus
based on
The freedom of will
We all experience our will as free
We all make choices that determine future events
Each decision represents an approach to life
We have some limitations in the form of environmental
constraints
Our freedom is made evident by what we will achieve,
despite our limitations, how we will deal with and
transcent the constraints imposed upon us by our
environments
The will to meaning
Deeper and more powerful than any other human motivation
Manifests in good and bad circumstances
When all needs for ease and safety are satisfied, people feel
depressed/unhappy if life is perceived as having no meaning
Meeting physical and psych needs frees one to meet spiritual goals
If physical not met, it can hamper search for meaning
Happiness is effect of attaining meaning
Happiness cannot be pursued as an end, is an effect. It is the
unintended effect of self-transcendence
If will to pleasure and will to power is prominent, will to meaning is
frustrated
Will to pleasure and power are signs of spiritual emptiness
🧭 The Meaning of Life
Can be found in 3 principle ways:
Creative values
Values we experience through what we contribute to life.
Any creative contribution allows us to feel meaningfully
part of life
Experiential values
Are blessings we receive from life. We are inspired by what
is good, beautiful and true, and these things call forth our
appreciation and gratitude. The greatest experiential value
is love.
Attitudinal values
, Are values we experience through the right attitude
toward life, especially in response to suffering
When suffering cant be avoided, and we can no longer
change a situation, we have the ability to change ourselves
In doing so we transcend, we grow beyond ourselves. At
that moment suffering has meaning, we can bear it
Suffering does not deprive us of our freedom to decide
how we will deal, our attitude offers an opportunity to
transcend adversity
👶 Development of Personality
Core – spiritual nucleus – is present at birth
Personality (behaviour of person) develops throughout lifespan
We are only truly ourselves, once we have fully become
We are ultimately the force behind what we become. Apart from genetic
endowment, and in spite of environmental factors that influence us, we are
ultimately self-determining
In development, self conscience, conscience and responsible behaviour
emerges during the course of development
If we continually seek pleasure and power, we are immature. In maturity, we are
fully developed then our uniquely human characteristic (such as freedom of will,
search for meaning and value realisation) fully manifest
✨ Optimal Development
We obtain optimal development when we function on a spiritual level
On this level, we exercise our freedom of will and fulfill the basic human
motivate to search for, find, and realise meaning in our lives
It takes courage to become optimally human – optimally developed people
form a small percentage of humans
Optimally developed people show some of the following characteristics
Self-determining action
People realise they cannot leave their fate up to coercion
from inside and pressures from outside. The take a stand
and freely decide how they should act. They exercise their
choice to overcome obstacles instead of accepting
circumstances which helps them to remain psychologically
healthy
Realistic perception
Can distance themselves from what is happening to them,
and view matters objectively and critically. This allows
them to perceive their circumstances realistically
The Freedom to Be Responsible
Humans are primarily spiritual beings with both freedom and responsibility.
We are more than just highly developed animals shaped by heredity and
environment.
We are constantly faced with choices and have the freedom to choose
(existential).
Because of free will, we can say yes or no, be held responsible for our choices,
and bear the consequences.
Even if we claim to give in to drives or conditioning, we are ultimately
responsible.
The ability to choose represents the noogenic (spiritual) dimension.
Fulfillment is not possible without a sense of purpose.
Human struggle is not just for survival but to find and experience meaning in
life.
Meaning in Life
Meaning refers to opportunities, tasks, or duties presented through our
conscience.
Every situation contains a unique challenge to live purposefully.
We can rise above and transcend mere existence.
Self-transcendence means we can rise above conditions to think and do
something about them.
"Only to the extent to which man fulfills a meaning out there in the world,
does he fulfill himself. If he sets out to actualize himself rather than fulfill a
meaning, self-actualization immediately loses its justification."
The will to meaning becomes stronger than other motivations as we mature.
We want to live purposefully and will make sacrifices for a cause.
Human has free will, and a will to meaning = based on
belief/worldview/philosophy of life, that life has meaning
Freedom without responsibility is senseless
Meaning is not created or invented = it is found i.e. meaning exists in an
objective sense
,The Transhuman Dimension
Meaning is not created but found.
We feel addressed by our conscience to act responsibly.
The conscience is the vehicle through which we detect meaning.
Conscience has transcendent qualities and functions at a higher level.
Life's meanings and values emanate from a Transhuman dimension, with
universal, timeless significance.
Life is unconditionally meaningful, illustrated by the phenomenon of faith.
In overcoming difficult situations, we can turn adversity into spiritual triumph.
The Personalization of Meaning
Cannot fully know the transhuman dimension, but can become more and more
open and receptive to the values in this dimension, which are timeless – and
everyone experiences these values in personal and unique ways
Meaning is not incorporated through religion, but unique to all of us – everyone
has the right and freedom to choose that which they are accountable to before
society, humanity, their own conscience or God
We are continually becoming what we are meant to be. The tension between
what is and what ought to be operates through our conscience until our last day
Something is meaningful only if we personally experience it so
Life holds meaning in all circumstances, and can be experienced by anyone
anywhere at anytime
People are unfulfilled unless they find a meaning
🧑🦱 Structure of the Personality
Three dimensions of personality:
Physical – combustion system, biochemical mechanisms, like
machines
Psychological – needs and drives, like animals
Spiritual – noogenic dimension, unique to humans.
Spiritual Dimension Makes us:
Open towards ourselves and the world, can think and change
Thus we are essentially spiritual beings who can direct our behavior
We are self-aware – and are present in everything we do or
experiencewe cant understand people if we loose sight of the
spiritual dimension of being
Spiritual core of personality
We have a spiritual core, and higher form of awareness
Not just our genetics or environment, but how we deal with what we
have been handed shapes our personalities
,⚙️ Dynamics of Personality
Our wills are not just about instincts (pleasure) or ensuring self-preservation
(power), but are orientated to meaning
Human beings transcend themselves and their circumstances. Dynamics thus
based on
The freedom of will
We all experience our will as free
We all make choices that determine future events
Each decision represents an approach to life
We have some limitations in the form of environmental
constraints
Our freedom is made evident by what we will achieve,
despite our limitations, how we will deal with and
transcent the constraints imposed upon us by our
environments
The will to meaning
Deeper and more powerful than any other human motivation
Manifests in good and bad circumstances
When all needs for ease and safety are satisfied, people feel
depressed/unhappy if life is perceived as having no meaning
Meeting physical and psych needs frees one to meet spiritual goals
If physical not met, it can hamper search for meaning
Happiness is effect of attaining meaning
Happiness cannot be pursued as an end, is an effect. It is the
unintended effect of self-transcendence
If will to pleasure and will to power is prominent, will to meaning is
frustrated
Will to pleasure and power are signs of spiritual emptiness
🧭 The Meaning of Life
Can be found in 3 principle ways:
Creative values
Values we experience through what we contribute to life.
Any creative contribution allows us to feel meaningfully
part of life
Experiential values
Are blessings we receive from life. We are inspired by what
is good, beautiful and true, and these things call forth our
appreciation and gratitude. The greatest experiential value
is love.
Attitudinal values
, Are values we experience through the right attitude
toward life, especially in response to suffering
When suffering cant be avoided, and we can no longer
change a situation, we have the ability to change ourselves
In doing so we transcend, we grow beyond ourselves. At
that moment suffering has meaning, we can bear it
Suffering does not deprive us of our freedom to decide
how we will deal, our attitude offers an opportunity to
transcend adversity
👶 Development of Personality
Core – spiritual nucleus – is present at birth
Personality (behaviour of person) develops throughout lifespan
We are only truly ourselves, once we have fully become
We are ultimately the force behind what we become. Apart from genetic
endowment, and in spite of environmental factors that influence us, we are
ultimately self-determining
In development, self conscience, conscience and responsible behaviour
emerges during the course of development
If we continually seek pleasure and power, we are immature. In maturity, we are
fully developed then our uniquely human characteristic (such as freedom of will,
search for meaning and value realisation) fully manifest
✨ Optimal Development
We obtain optimal development when we function on a spiritual level
On this level, we exercise our freedom of will and fulfill the basic human
motivate to search for, find, and realise meaning in our lives
It takes courage to become optimally human – optimally developed people
form a small percentage of humans
Optimally developed people show some of the following characteristics
Self-determining action
People realise they cannot leave their fate up to coercion
from inside and pressures from outside. The take a stand
and freely decide how they should act. They exercise their
choice to overcome obstacles instead of accepting
circumstances which helps them to remain psychologically
healthy
Realistic perception
Can distance themselves from what is happening to them,
and view matters objectively and critically. This allows
them to perceive their circumstances realistically
