Abstract:

In his humanistic ethics Erich Fromm advanced his theories of what is good, what is humanistic conscience, and characters of a moral man. Although Fromm believed in the appearance of a new personality, it didn' t come true. The causes for such a reality are as follows. First, the holistic mode of thinking, which requires a simultaneous change both in society and human beings, increases the difficulty in fulfilling his humanistic morality. Second, morality, according to him, acquires its strength from autonomy, exclusive of the customs and public climate of opinion; consequently, it is hard for morality to play its deserved role in an alien society. Finally, Fromm failed to integrate theoretical thinking with empirical observations very well. As a result, his theories turn out to be a failure in applying them to practice.

Key words: Fromm, new personality, holism, autonomy, theory and reality