Freud, Friend or Foe: An Insight Into What the Teachings of Sigmund Freud Mean in a Modern World

Dr. Sigmund Freud has managed to become one of the most controversial and paradoxical figures in the universe of academia. This paper was written as an evaluation of Freud, as a man and a scientist, in an attempt to decide if his work is suitable for the modern classroom. This essay will question Freud's methods of validity and ethics in his theories and case studies. The theories discussed will include beginning treatment, dream interpretation, and instinct theory. The case studies will include The History if Infantile Neurosis and An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria. The topic of Freud’s validity was not easily determined. Nuanced work with the unconscious may not always demand empirical evidence to support it and many scholars hold conflicting beliefs on this area of Freud’s work. While Freud’s ethics, against modern standards, do not hold up to any APA ethical guidelines that now exist.