PHILOSOPHY & PSYCHOLOGY
PHILOSOPHY & PSYCHOLOGY
Subconscious Explanations of Behaviour LEAH CLARKE How Childhood Trauma Impacts Adulthood
“The only restriction on God’s power is God’s own nature which prevents God from doing evil, dying, etc” PETER VARDY
Upon closer inspection however, this is not the case. We have already clarified that God is an omnibenevolent being, one who is perfectly loving of everyone. This definition admits that God cannot do harm. The philosopher and author Peter Vardy wrote that “The only restriction on God’s power is God’s own nature which prevents God from doing evil, dying, etc”. While this appears simply as a criticism of God’s omnipotence, it is equally restrictive of God’s free will. Free will requires a choice, as humans have the choice to do good or evil. The choice to do good makes our actions moral. God’s characteristics prevent him from doing evil, so he cannot choose between good and evil, he can only choose good. This limitation restricts the supposed freedom of God. His freedom cannot be circumstantial, as he has not the means to do harm according to the
traditional Christian definitions, nor can his freedom be metaphysical, as he has not the freedom to choose between good and evil and can only choose good. This would mean not only that God doesn’t have free will, but that his actions could not be moral, as he is under obligation from his defining trait as omnibenevolent. This is an incredibly bold statement, to say that God is an arguably immoral being who must be responsive to his own intensely demanding characteristics. It is logically impossible for God to be omnibenevolent and possess free will simultaneously. Free will requires a choice that omnibenevolence cannot provide and without the freedom to choose, omnibenevolence cannot exist. The complexity of God’s very existence provides such an extent of inner conflict and debate that is seemingly endless.
Over the years, psychologists have gained a deepened insight into the impacts of childhood trauma on adulthood. It is believed to be one of the predominant causes of various psychological disorders that can be developed in later life. For example, there are heavy links between childhood trauma, and later diagnoses of anxiety and depression. The classification of childhood trauma is very dependent on the individual and the circumstances. The preliminary causes for trauma tend to be physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, however, trauma can be caused by a variety of other circumstances i.e., bereavement, neglect, and domestic struggles like divorce. Furthermore, there are various factors which account for the reactions of children to trauma: their developmental level; ethnicity or cultural factors;
previous exposure to trauma; available resources; preexisting child and family problems. A very topical influence in our current society is the influence of trauma on adult intimate relationships. Erozka (2016) interviewed 911 Turkish students about their childhood traumas and later experiences in relationships. It was found that there was a strong link between fearful, preoccupied and dismissive attachment styles, and experiences of abuse during childhood. Additionally, there was a strong negative correlation between stable attachment styles and experiences of abuse during childhood. This can be explained through the subconscious triggers picked up as a child, and the ability for them to cause severe panic even in situations of minimal stress.
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