GCSE Philosophy and Ethics Practice Exam

What was Sigmund Freud's view on religious experiences as wish fulfilment?

1. Adults often have childlike feelings and great delusions

2. Adults never experience religious feelings

3. Children do not understand religious experiences

4. Religious leaders encourage wish fulfillment

The correct answer is: Adults often have childlike feelings and great delusions

Sigmund Freud's view on religious experiences as wish fulfilment is that adults often have childlike feelings and great delusions. This ties in with his theory that our unconscious desires and fears, stemming from our childhood experiences, influence our thoughts and actions. This view does not imply that adults never experience religious feelings, or that children do not understand religious experiences. It also does not suggest that religious leaders encourage wish fulfillment. Freud's focus was more on the psychological explanation of religious experiences, rather than the religious or spiritual significance of them. Therefore, option A is the most accurate in representing Freud's perspective on religious experiences and wish fulfillment.