The Future of an Illusion

What it is

A 1927 book by Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, originally published in German as Die Zukunft einer Illusion. In it Freud applies psychoanalytic ideas to religion.

Why it matters

Freud argues that religious belief is an illusion driven by human wishes, especially the longing for a protective father figure, rather than evidence or reality. The book reveals Freud's own atheism and his belief that civilization depends on strong, often repressive, controls over instinctual human nature. It sparked debate with contemporaries such as Romain Rolland, who questioned Freud's account, and Carl Jung, who saw it as summarizing Freud's earlier rationalist views.

Look closer

• Why does Freud compare religious belief to wish-fulfillment rather than to scientific error?
• What does this book suggest about Freud's own views on society and human nature?
• How might someone of religious faith respond to Freud's argument?