Final answer:
Victor Frankl identified freedom, responsibility, and purpose as the three most distinct human qualities. These qualities form the basis of his existential perspective, which emphasizes the human capacity for choice and the search for meaning in life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Victor Frankl's Distinct Human Qualities
According to Victor Frankl, the three most distinct human qualities are freedom, responsibility, and purpose (option a). Frankl's existential framework posits that humans have the freedom to make their own choices, are responsible for the consequences of those choices, and must find meaning in their lives, which corresponds to the notion of purpose. This framework is in contrast to existentialists like Nietzsche, who emphasized the will to power, and differs from determinism that suggests our paths are fixed by destiny or fate.
Human freedom, in this existential context, is associated with the possession of free will and the ability to make autonomous choices. Each person is fundamentally responsible for their actions and this inherent responsibility extends to our understanding and shaping of morality. The existential viewpoint, as furthered by philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, posits that our essence is defined by this radical freedom, and we must confront the profound weight of this responsibility.
These ideas differ from those presented by Friedrich Nietzsche, who believed that the primary drive in humans is the quest for power, as encapsulated in his notion of the Will to Power. Nonetheless, freedom remains a cornerstone concept for both existentialist thinkers, shaping their views on morality, society, and human behavior.