Freud tentative answer: 3. Freud called his theory of the unconscious a ‘third wound’ to man’s self-esteem (pride). the first two were administered by Copernicus and Darwin. What might he have meant?

3. Freud called his theory of the unconscious a ‘third wound’ to man’s self-esteem (pride). the first two were administered by Copernicus and Darwin. What might he have meant?

The wound administered to human self-esteem by Copernicus was his heliocentric model, which elicited a large backlash from the Inquisition, as Copernican theory was seen as a violation of scripture.  Heliocentrism displaced man’s central role in the universe, which challenged the traditional view of mankind’s superiority in the eyes of God.  Darwin’s blow to the ego took the form of the links that evolutionary theory draws between humans and other species—not only were humans evolved from other, so-called lesser animals, the role of divinity in the creation of human beings was now in question.  The first two wounds to man’s self-esteem first dislodged humans from their place at the center of the universe and then from their central role on earth.  Freud’s theory of the unconscious was perhaps the most devastating blow of the three, however, as it called into question man’s autonomy over the mind and motives; the existence of the unconscious seems to preclude the idea of any sort of teleology in human lives, as beings not in complete control over their own consciousnesses cannot fully control their behaviors.