Viktor Frankl (1905–1995) once said: \"Everything can be taken from a man but on
ID: 392029 • Letter: V
Question
Viktor Frankl (1905–1995) once said: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." Dr. Viktor Frankl was a Jewish Austrian neurologist and psychologist who survived the concentration camps during World War II. Frankl had his opinion on human freedom. Respond to the following questions:
Step 1
Post a response to the discussion board.Viktor Frankl (1905–1995) once said: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." Dr. Viktor Frankl was a Jewish Austrian neurologist and psychologist who survived the concentration camps during World War II. Frankl had his opinion on human freedom. Respond to the following questions:
- Explain whether you agree with Frankl's opinion that it is important for a person to have the freedom to choose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances and to choose one's own way.
- Describe a personal example that supports your explanation.
- Describe how freedom or the right to choose is important in ethics.
Explanation / Answer
Viktor Frankl is perhaps best known for practicing and espousing “freedom of will,” especially in terms of one’s choice of attitude, as a point of departure on the path to meaning. In Dr. Frankl’s own words, “Everything can be taken from a man but—the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way.” In other words, in all situations, no matter how desperate they may appear or actually be, you always have the ultimate freedom to choose your attitude.
Frankl recognized the importance of our power to choose. More specifically, he understood how free we are to choose our own attitudes about our lives. Considering all the things he had undergone in his life, this quote is a phenomenal example of this point.
Even though we are all subject to circumstances in our lives, we are free to choose. To choose the way we think about those circumstances. To choose also how we will respond to them. I dare say that few of us will undergo the horrors that Viktor experienced in the death camps. Yet in the midst of that situation, he realized his true freedom. The power to choose his attitude. In fact, he said that though the Nazi’s could take everything from him, they could not take away this: his power to choose his response to them.
We all suffer injustices to one degree or another. Though some of these have greater costs, our hurt and helplessness remain the same. Comparing our circumstances to others is dangerous. Because regardless of the situations, we all have similar feelings. Our choice in our response to those circumstances is what matters. How we think about them and how we act on them.
ome people believe in a determinism which takes away our choice. This fatalistic perspective places us at the mercy of the things in life that happen to us. But as Frankl noted, our beliefs about this type of perspective matter. If we accept fatalism, that our circumstances define us, we are forever held captive to them. But, we can choose to believe that we have the freedom to do just that – to choose. This is our true freedom.
Frankl sums it up: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
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