Alfred Adler was an Austrian psychiatrist and is recognized, alongside Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung, as one of the three giants in the field of psychology. His school of thought is generally referred to as Adlerian psychology. Adler was initially an original core member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, which was led by Freud. However, he left the group relatively early, in 1911, due to irreconcilable theoretical differences with Freud. A common misconception is that Adler was Freud's disciple, but they were close in age, and their relationship as researchers was founded upon equal footing. Freud, as a theorist in his own right, held a much more negative opinion of Adler's ideas compared to Jung's. Jung, on the other hand, revered Freud as a father figure, a dynamic which some see as paralleling the Wagner-Nietzsche split. At its core, Adlerian psychology is a school of psychology or a form of thought that is considered by some to be in line with Greek philosophy. It is also presented as a psychology for changing oneself and is characterized as a "psychology of courage" and a "psychology of use," rather than a "psychology of possession". Let's delve into some of the key concepts and perspectives within Adlerian psychology as presented in the sources: **Individual Psychology and Holism** Adler named his school "individual psychology," emphasizing that each human being is a unique subject (individuum). Etymologically, the word "individual" means "indivisible". Adler was opposed to dualistic systems that separated the mind from the body, reason from emotion, or the conscious from the unconscious. Instead, Adlerian psychology views human beings as a unified whole ("I as a whole") that cannot be broken down into parts. For instance, physical symptoms like blushing or shaking can be linked to tension or fear in the mind, seeing the mind and body as one whole. This view of humans as indivisible beings is referred to as "holism". **Teleology vs. Etiology** A revolutionary point of Adlerian psychology is its definitive denial of trauma as a direct cause of present unhappiness. Adler denied the need to seek for past "causes" (etiology) for current problems. Instead, Adlerian psychology focuses on present "goals" (teleology). The idea is that a person creates anxiety or other states as a means to achieve a predetermined goal, such as not wanting to go out. Trauma is not seen as a cause of success or failure; rather, people make out of their experiences whatever suits their purposes. We are not determined by our experiences, but the meaning we give them is self-determining. This perspective completely reverses the typical cause-and-effect interpretation. **Lifestyle and The Creative Self** Personality and disposition are described in Adlerian psychology using the term "lifestyle," which refers to the tendencies of thought and action in life. No matter what has occurred in one's life up to the present, it should not determine how one lives from now on; the person living in the here and now is the one who determines their own life because the past does not exist in this sense. Adler called his concept of the self the "creative self". This self is a highly personalized, subjective system that interprets and makes meaningful the experiences of the organism. It also actively searches for experiences that will help fulfill the person's unique style of life; if these experiences are not found, the self tries to create them. This concept was new to psychoanalytic theory and helped compensate for the "extreme objectivism" of classical psychoanalysis, which relied heavily on biological needs and external stimuli. Adler gave an ontological dimension to creativity with this concept. **Fictive Finalism and Meaning of Life** Adler emphasized the importance of future time in psychic life, using the concept of "fictive finalism". Borrowed from philosopher Hans Vaihinger, this refers to a future-oriented, sometimes idealized idea of our future self and life that influences our attitude in the present. This focus on the future resonates strongly with ideas found in existential philosophers like Heidegger or Sartre. Adler also took the question of the psychological significance of the meaning of life seriously, contrasting sharply with Freud's view that thinking about the meaning of life was a sickness related to unused libido. According to Adler, human beings live in the realm of meanings; we don't experience pure circumstances but always circumstances in their significance for people. Our experience is qualified by our human purposes, and we experience reality always through the meaning we give it, not in itself. Adler criticized causal-mechanical conceptions of psychological life, arguing that such views reduce the spiritual life of man. **Interpersonal Relationships and Life Tasks** A fundamental concept in Adlerian psychology is that all problems are interpersonal relationship problems. If all interpersonal relationships were removed, all problems would disappear. This highlights the crucial role of social context; it is only in social contexts that a person becomes an "individual," and it is fundamentally impossible for a person to live life completely alone. Interpersonal relationships are the source of both unhappiness and, conversely, happiness. Adlerian psychology posits two overarching objectives: to be self-reliant and to live in harmony with society. To achieve these, one must confront the three tasks of interpersonal relationships: work, friendship, and love. **Separation of Tasks** To address interpersonal relationship problems, Adlerian psychology proposes a revolutionary viewpoint: the "separation of tasks". This involves calmly delineating up to what point one's own tasks extend and from what point they become another person's tasks. The principle is not to intervene in other people's tasks and not to allow anyone to intervene in one's own tasks. While some might see this as leading to isolation or a "self-centered, misguided individualism," Adlerian psychology posits that separating tasks is actually the _point of departure_ for interpersonal relations, not the end of them. It helps to "unravel the threads" that are tangled up in confusing relationships. **Community Feeling** The goal of interpersonal relations in Adlerian psychology is "community feeling". This is a key concept that caused many people to part ways with Adler. Community feeling is a sense of belonging, acquired through one's own efforts, not something one is born with. It extends beyond visible communities like households and societies to include connections that we cannot see, potentially including the entire universe and inanimate objects. It provides a refuge. **Horizontal Relationships and Contribution** Adlerian psychology refutes all forms of "vertical relationships," where people are seen as superior or inferior, and proposes that all interpersonal relationships should be "horizontal relationships," based on equality. The desire for recognition from others and the use of praise or rebuke to manipulate others are seen as characteristic of vertical relationships. Adlerian psychology denies the need to seek recognition from others; in fact, one must not seek recognition. Instead of praise or rebuke, emphasis is placed on "contribution". It is only when a person feels they have worth that they can possess courage, and contribution is a way to feel this worth. **Courage and Confidence** Adlerian psychology is called a "psychology of courage". Courage is necessary for self-acceptance and the consciousness of having ability. It is also needed to be normal, counteracting the desire to be special (either especially good or especially bad) that arises from an inability to accept one's normal self. When facing difficulties or attempting to choose freedom, one might lose their way. Adlerian psychology offers a "guiding star," an expansive ideal or grand compass, to point towards a life of freedom. The basis of interpersonal relations is founded not on trust (believing with conditions or security) but on confidence (believing unconditionally without objective grounds or concern for security). The decision of whether the other person takes advantage of this confidence is _their_ task, not one's own. **Influence and Legacy** Adler's ideas were groundbreaking and, according to one account, were considered "a hundred years ahead of their time". While perhaps less widely known than Freud and Jung as a strict academic discipline, Adlerian psychology's concepts have become commonplace and integrated into general human understanding. His influence is seen in authors like Dale Carnegie and Stephen Covey. Adler influenced early existential psychologists such as Viktor Frankl and Rollo May. May, the founder of American existential psychology, saw Adler's work, particularly his emphasis on empathy as a creative function related to social interest, as important. Frankl, the founder of logotherapy, was a follower of Adler's school before developing his own approach, criticizing Adler (and Freud) for reductionism and misunderstanding love and the meaning of existence. Further ideas to explore based on these points could include: - The specific practical applications of the "separation of tasks" in various relationships (e.g., parent-child, counselor-client, workplace) as suggested by the examples. - How the concept of "community feeling," particularly its extension to the universe and inanimate objects, is understood and applied in practice. - The philosophical implications of Adlerian teleology, which denies trauma and past causes, for understanding personal responsibility and change. - Comparing and contrasting Adler's "creative self" with other psychological or philosophical concepts of the self. - The tension between self-reliance and living in harmony with society as overarching objectives. - A deeper examination of the "psychology of use" versus the "psychology of possession". - How Adlerian psychology's stance on denying the need for recognition relates to social dynamics and the human desire for approval. - The relationship between Adler's concept of the "guiding star" and existential ideas about meaning, purpose, and freedom. - Exploring the historical context and reasons behind the "epistemological crisis of psychoanalysis in the 1980s" and how it led to a renaissance of existential and hermeneutic trends in psychoanalysis that connected back to thinkers like Dilthey and the human science approach that included Adler.