Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewErosThanatosCurrent OpinionsFAQs
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Overview
Eros
Thanatos
Current Opinions
FAQs
Close
Freud’s concept of Thanatos is rooted in the law of entropy, or the idea that all systems eventually reach their lowest point. This can be contrasted with Eros, which is focused on the propagation of life. According to Freud, both instincts are in a constant and dynamic state of tension.
At a GlanceIn Freudian theory, Thanatos represents the death drive, while Eros represents the life drive. Where Thanatos leads people to experience aggression, engage in risky behaviors, and re-experience past traumas, Eros helps promote survival, reproduction, and social cooperation. It is the complex interaction between the two that helps shape human behavior. Keep reading to learn more about Freud’s ideas and why Thanatos and Eros remain the source of debate today.
At a Glance
In Freudian theory, Thanatos represents the death drive, while Eros represents the life drive. Where Thanatos leads people to experience aggression, engage in risky behaviors, and re-experience past traumas, Eros helps promote survival, reproduction, and social cooperation. It is the complex interaction between the two that helps shape human behavior. Keep reading to learn more about Freud’s ideas and why Thanatos and Eros remain the source of debate today.
Verywell / JR Bee
An Overview of Thanatos and Eros
Freud’s theory of Eros and Thanatos, also known as the theory of life and death drives, evolved throughout his life and career. Initially, he described a class of drives known aslife instinctsthat he believed were responsible for much of our behavior. Eventually, however, Freud came to believe that life instincts alone could not explain all human behavior.
Eros was the god of love, fertility, and passion in ancient Greece.Thanatos was the human manifestation of death.
Freud’s Eros: The Life Drive
The life drive is focused on the preservation of life, both of the individual and of the species.This drive compels people to engage in actions that sustain their own lives, such as looking after their health and safety. It also exerts itself through sexual drives, motivating people to create and nurture new life.
Behaviors commonly associated with life instincts includelove, cooperation, and other prosocial actions. These behaviors support both individual well-being and the harmonious existence of a cooperative and healthy society.
Eros in Greek MythologyIn Greek mythology, Eros was the god of love and desire. More precisely, his was the god of physical desire and passion. He is often identified as the son of Ares, the god of war, and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and sexual love. Cupid is the Roman equivalent of Eros, who’s name is also the source of the word ‘erotic.’
Eros in Greek Mythology
In Greek mythology, Eros was the god of love and desire. More precisely, his was the god of physical desire and passion. He is often identified as the son of Ares, the god of war, and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and sexual love. Cupid is the Roman equivalent of Eros, who’s name is also the source of the word ‘erotic.’
What Is Mental Health?
Freud’s Thanatos: The Death Drive
Freud first introduced the concept of Thanatos, the death instinct, in his essay “Beyond the Pleasure Principle.“He theorized that humans are driven toward death and destruction, famously declaring that “the aim of all life is death.”
Freud believed that people typically channel this death drive outward, which manifests as aggression toward others.People also can direct this drive inward, however, which can result inself-harmorsuicide.
Freud based this theory on clinical observations, noting that people who experience a traumatic event often recreate or revisit it. For example, he noted that soldiers returning from World War I tended to revisit their traumatic experiences indreamsthat repeatedly took them back to combat.
From these observations, he concluded that people hold an unconscious desire to die but that life instincts largely temper this wish. In Freud’s view, the compulsion to repeat was “something that would seem more primitive, more elementary, more instinctual than the pleasure principle which it overrides.” Thus, Thanatos stands in stark contrast to the drive to survive, procreate, and satisfy desires.
Thanatos in Greek MythologyIn Greek mythology, Thanatos was the personification of death. His role was to carry people off to the underworld when their life was over. He was the son of Nyx, the goddess of the night, and the twin brother of Hypnos, the god of sleep.
Thanatos in Greek Mythology
In Greek mythology, Thanatos was the personification of death. His role was to carry people off to the underworld when their life was over. He was the son of Nyx, the goddess of the night, and the twin brother of Hypnos, the god of sleep.
Current Opinions on Eros and Thanatos
As with much ofFreud’s work, controversy surrounds the concepts of life and death drives.One could argue that there are as many arguments for and against them as there are psychologists.
Thanatos, or the death drive, is one of Freud’s most disputed and complicated theories.
Some see the death drive as incompatible with the sanctity of life and an explanation for (or even encouragement of) suicide. Some, like Todd Dufresne, professor of Philosophy at Lakehead University, even outright reject its existence. Psychoanalyst and psychotherapist Ben Kafka, associate professor at New York University, believes the concept to be flawed and not particularly relevant to contemporary life.
Likewise, the life drive is often oversimplified to mean libido, or the energy that drives sex and creativity.
The Terms Eros and ThanatosIt’s important to note that while post-Freudian thinkers often refer to the life and death instincts as Eros and Thanatos, Freud himself did not use these terms. Later thinkers attached these terms to Freud’s concepts.
The Terms Eros and Thanatos
It’s important to note that while post-Freudian thinkers often refer to the life and death instincts as Eros and Thanatos, Freud himself did not use these terms. Later thinkers attached these terms to Freud’s concepts.
Takeaways
Although Freud’s theories are not as prominent as they once were, understanding your own self-preservation and self-destructive tendencies can be helpful for your well-being.
Life instincts might compel you to seek the healthy relationships and social support that are essential for emotional health. Destructive inclinations, on the other hand, might lead you to actions that are less healthy, such as aggressive or risky behavior.
Once you are able to recognize some of these tendencies, you might be better able to temper them and replace negative behaviors with more positive ones.
Improving Your Mental Health During a Crisis
Frequently Asked QuestionsAs in so many other areas, knowledge is power. Being aware can help people understand, minimize, and ultimately distance themselves from self-destructive thoughts and behaviors, freeing the mind for more positive ones.The term “death drive” is used interchangeably with “death wish.” In both cases, it refers to what psychologists call Thanatos: a subconscious desire to return to an inorganic state.French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan postulated that all other drives are “partial” to the death drive, which adherents called simply “the drive.” He wrote that the drive pulls us back toward the time when we were one with our mothers, prior to birth and weaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
As in so many other areas, knowledge is power. Being aware can help people understand, minimize, and ultimately distance themselves from self-destructive thoughts and behaviors, freeing the mind for more positive ones.
The term “death drive” is used interchangeably with “death wish.” In both cases, it refers to what psychologists call Thanatos: a subconscious desire to return to an inorganic state.
French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan postulated that all other drives are “partial” to the death drive, which adherents called simply “the drive.” He wrote that the drive pulls us back toward the time when we were one with our mothers, prior to birth and weaning.
7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leith M.The end of the other.CMAJ. 2001;165(8):1075.World History Encyclopedia.Eros.Britannica.Thanatos.Capuzzi D, Stauffer MD.Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theories and Interventions. John Wiley & Sons; 2016.Jones-Smith E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE; 2020.Meissner WW.The question of drive vs. motive in psychoanalysis: A modest proposal.J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2009;57(4):807-845. doi:10.1177/0003065109342572Ackerman S, Zeavin L, Hook D, Lichtenstein D, Goldblatt M.Thanatos: Is freud’s concept still relevant?J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2023;71(4):669-702. doi:10.1177/00030651231199227Additional ReadingMitchell SA, Black MJ.Freud and Beyond: A History of Modern Psychoanalytic Thought. Updated edition. Basic Books; 2016.
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leith M.The end of the other.CMAJ. 2001;165(8):1075.World History Encyclopedia.Eros.Britannica.Thanatos.Capuzzi D, Stauffer MD.Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theories and Interventions. John Wiley & Sons; 2016.Jones-Smith E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE; 2020.Meissner WW.The question of drive vs. motive in psychoanalysis: A modest proposal.J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2009;57(4):807-845. doi:10.1177/0003065109342572Ackerman S, Zeavin L, Hook D, Lichtenstein D, Goldblatt M.Thanatos: Is freud’s concept still relevant?J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2023;71(4):669-702. doi:10.1177/00030651231199227Additional ReadingMitchell SA, Black MJ.Freud and Beyond: A History of Modern Psychoanalytic Thought. Updated edition. Basic Books; 2016.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Leith M.The end of the other.CMAJ. 2001;165(8):1075.World History Encyclopedia.Eros.Britannica.Thanatos.Capuzzi D, Stauffer MD.Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theories and Interventions. John Wiley & Sons; 2016.Jones-Smith E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE; 2020.Meissner WW.The question of drive vs. motive in psychoanalysis: A modest proposal.J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2009;57(4):807-845. doi:10.1177/0003065109342572Ackerman S, Zeavin L, Hook D, Lichtenstein D, Goldblatt M.Thanatos: Is freud’s concept still relevant?J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2023;71(4):669-702. doi:10.1177/00030651231199227
Leith M.The end of the other.CMAJ. 2001;165(8):1075.
World History Encyclopedia.Eros.
Britannica.Thanatos.
Capuzzi D, Stauffer MD.Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theories and Interventions. John Wiley & Sons; 2016.
Jones-Smith E.Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach. SAGE; 2020.
Meissner WW.The question of drive vs. motive in psychoanalysis: A modest proposal.J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2009;57(4):807-845. doi:10.1177/0003065109342572
Ackerman S, Zeavin L, Hook D, Lichtenstein D, Goldblatt M.Thanatos: Is freud’s concept still relevant?J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2023;71(4):669-702. doi:10.1177/00030651231199227
Mitchell SA, Black MJ.Freud and Beyond: A History of Modern Psychoanalytic Thought. Updated edition. Basic Books; 2016.
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
