Is there meaning in suffering or ts suffering only a soul-destroying experience from which nothing positive can emerge? In seeking to answer this question, a heuristic study was made of the experiences and views of the famous Auschwitz survivor, Viktor Frankl, supplemented by an exploration of the life-worlds of other Nazi concentration camp survivors. The underlying premise was that if meaning can be found in the worst sufferings imaginable, then meaning can be found in every other situation of suffering. Seeking to illuminate the views of Frankl and to gain a deeper grasp of the phenomenon of suffering, the theoretical and personal views of mainstream psychologists regarding the nature of man and the meaning of hi.~ sufferings were studied. Since the focus of this research was on the suffering of the Holocaust survivor, the Holocaust as the context of the present study, was studied as a crisis of meaning and as psychological adversity. In trying to establish the best way to gain entry into the life-world of the Holocaust survivor, the research methods employed in Holocaust survivor studies were reviewed and, for the purposes of this study, found wanting. The choice and employment of a heuristic method yielded rich data which illuminated the fact that, through a series of heroic choices Frankl, and the survivors who became research participants, could attain spiritual triumph in the midst of suffering caused by an evil and inhumane regime. Hitherto unexplored areas of psychological maturity were revealed by these heroes of suffering from which the following conclusions could be drawn: Man attains the peaks of moral excellence through suffering. Suffering can have meaning. Suffering can call us out of the moral apathy and mindlesness of mere existence. The Holocaust, one of the most tragic events in human history, contains, paradoxically, a challenge to humankind. Resisting the pressure to sink to the level of a brute fight for mere survival, Frankl and the research participants continued to exercise those human values important to them and triumphantly maintained their human dignity and self-respect. Evidence was provided that man has the power to overcome evil with good. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The thesis deals with the very last issues of a person from the psychologically-ethical view, however it doesn't neglect the social view. With the topic is worked also in a context of selected current ethical systems, mainly deontologism and utilitarianism, also regarding the topic of the thesis, the topic of bioethics is discussed as well. Regarding the field of psychology, the thesis elaborates more in detail on the existential psychotherapy, actually also on the logotherapy, which was shaped by an Austrian psychologist Viktor E. Frankl. There is also included the problematics of burial, the possibilities of giving a last farewell, also in a religious and an ethnical point of view. The key part of the thesis deals mainly with a needed psychosocial care for the terminally ill, the dying and also their close ones, in the times of pre finem, in finem and post finem by the prospective death of adults, it deals also with the influence of this care on the experiencing of the final period of life of the dying, and the following grieving of the survivors. In the thesis is also shortly mentioned the topic of palliative and hospice care. The thesis also follows the evaluation of the influence of the last farewell on the process of the survivors' grieving. The inspiration for writing the thesis were apart from professional literature and other professional sources also to a bigger extent the many years of work experience of the author, thanks to which is the work supplemented with many own cases.

Is there meaning in suffering or ts suffering only a soul-destroying experience from which nothing positive can emerge? In seeking to answer this question, a heuristic study was made of the experiences and views of the famous Auschwitz survivor, Viktor Frankl, supplemented by an exploration of the life-worlds of other Nazi concentration camp survivors. The underlying premise was that if meaning can be found in the worst sufferings imaginable, then meaning can be found in every other situation of suffering. Seeking to illuminate the views of Frankl and to gain a deeper grasp of the phenomenon of suffering, the theoretical and personal views of mainstream psychologists regarding the nature of man and the meaning of hi.~ sufferings were studied. Since the focus of this research was on the suffering of the Holocaust survivor, the Holocaust as the context of the present study, was studied as a crisis of meaning and as psychological adversity. In trying to establish the best way to gain entry into the life-world of the Holocaust survivor, the research methods employed in Holocaust survivor studies were reviewed and, for the purposes of this study, found wanting. The choice and employment of a heuristic method yielded rich data which illuminated the fact that, through a series of heroic choices Frankl, and the survivors who became research participants, could attain spiritual triumph in the midst of suffering caused by an evil and inhumane regime. Hitherto unexplored areas of psychological maturity were revealed by these heroes of suffering from which the following conclusions could be drawn: Man attains the peaks of moral excellence through suffering. Suffering can have meaning. Suffering can call us out of the moral apathy and mindlesness of mere existence. The Holocaust, one of the most tragic events in human history, contains, paradoxically, a challenge to humankind. Resisting the pressure to sink to the level of a brute fight for mere survival, Frankl and the research participants continued to exercise those human values important to them and triumphantly maintained their human dignity and self-respect. Evidence was provided that man has the power to overcome evil with good. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The thesis deals with the moral thinking of youth in its adolescent age. The first part deals with the basic ethic terms and with historical development of ethic thinking. The thesis deals further with determinants, which influence the moral development of thinking of a man including primary and secondary socialisation and the influence of a state. The theoretical part ends with a chapter dealing with the psychological aspects of development of moral judgement, where are described the particular stages of moral development according to Lawrence Kohlberg. The practical part deals with the research in a given group according to Kohlberg. The research is made with regard to family background of an individual. Except for reactions to Heinz´s dilemma, there are researched the differences between moral attitudes of men and women and the differences between individuals coming from villages or cities. The aim of this thesis is to judge, if it is possible from the stage of a moral judgement of the researched adoloscents, judge a relation according to the context of their experience in the family. The research showed some influences to moral thinking of a man, but it is not possible to determine the convincing conclusions. The man is to complicated human being, whose moral quality shows the concrete and practical situation only.

The spiritual needs of pensioners in the residential home in Velká Bíteš Abstract: This theses focuses on spiritual needs of senior citizens living in the residential home for pensioners in Velká Bíteš. The theoretical part concentrates on the human needs, ageing and old age, healh and social services. It deals with spirituality, pastoral care, meaning of life and some religions. The practical part examinates the spiritual needs of pensioners in Velká Bíteš and tries to find out if these are sufficiently met. Further it maps the relation between the elderly to the faith, especially to some religious activities, and their cooperation with pastoral workers. The theses provides specific recommendations based on the results of the survay. The conclusion lists recommendations, which could be put into the practice and increase the quality of the spiritual care for senior citizens in residential facilities. Key words: HUMAN NEEDS, MEETING OF NEEDS, NEEDS BY MASLOW, SPIRITUAL NEEDS, AGEING OF PEOPLE, CHANGES IN OLD AGE, HEALTH CARE (SERVICES), SOCIAL CARE (SERVICES), RESIDENTIAL HOME, SPIRITUALITY, PASTORAL CARE, PASTORAL WORKER, DEATH, DYING, MEANING OF LIFE, V. E. FRANKL, SOLITUDE, RELIGION