AdlerPedia: All Things Adlerian
  • Concepts
  • Practice Areas
  • People
  • Dr. Mosak Adlerbiblio
  • Search
  • About
  • Additional Resources
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Help
  • Sign in
Home > Fundamental Concepts > Individual Psychology/Adlerian Psychology > Existentialism

Existentialism

Related Content: Resources

NOTE: Page numbers enclosed in parentheses are citations from The Individual  Psychology of Alfred Adler: A systematic presentation in selections from his writings. (H. L. and R. R. Ansbacher, Eds.).© 1964. Harper & Row, Publishers,  Inc. Used by permission of Perseus Books Group.

Existential questions are those addressing the meaning of existence and death, and the problem of personal awareness of one's place in the universe. Existentialism as a movement in philosophy includes those who take the position that the universe is indifferent, even hostile, to the human being, who is seen as isolated and alone and necessarily limited, and who, without a God makes choices, under only the authority of individual responsibility that one would want all human beings to make if similarly challenged. In this view, it is ethical behavior that leads to self­transcendence. 

Individual Psychology is an existential psychology in that it concerns itself with personal meaning, personal responsibility, and ethical choices. It separates itself from Existentialism in that Individual Psychology sees human being as socially embedded, sees the development of community feeling as essential to life, and identifies individual striving toward perfection as present on both the useful and useless side. In pursuing goals of personal superiority on the useless side, the striving is erroneous, misunderstanding the reality of its embeddedness, and therefore in need of guidance and education toward goals on the useful side, concretized in images of contribution and self-transcendence, whether in the ideal community (as envisioned sub specie aeternitatis), or in God. 

None of us knows which is the only correct way toward perfection. Mankind has variously made the attempt to imagine this final goal of human development. The best conception gained so far of this ideal elevation of mankind is the concept of God (Jahn and Adler). There is no question but that the concept of God actually includes this movement toward perfection in the form of a goal, and that as a concrete goal of perfection it corresponds best to man's dark longing to reach perfection (Adler, 1979, p. 33). 

            There are, of course, countless attempts among men to imagine this goal of perfection differently. . . . When, for example, someone attempts to concretize this goal by wanting to dominate over others, such a goal of perfection appears to us incapable to steer the individual and the group. The reason is that not every one could make this goal of perfection his task, because he would be forced to come into conflict with the coercion of evolution, to violate reality, and to defend himself full of anxiety against the truth and its confessors (Adler, 1979, p. 33). 

            To be a human being means to have inferiority feelings. One recognizes one's own powerlessness in the face of nature. One sees death as the irrefutable consequence of existence (G., Man sieht den Todt als unabweisliche Konsequenz des Daseins). But in the mentally healthy person this inferiority feeling acts as a motive for productivity, as a motive for attempting to overcome obstacles, to maintain oneself in life (Adler, 1979, p. 54).

 

© Griffith, J., & Powers, R. L. (2007).  The Lexicon of Adlerian Psychology:  106 terms Associated with the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler (2nd ed.). Port Townsend, WA: Adlerian Psychology Associates (p. 33).

Definitions of concepts are used by permission of Jane Griffith. A comprehensive list of concepts and definitions can be found in The Lexicon of Adlerian Psychology: 106 Terms Associated with the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler by Jane Griffith and Robert L. Powers, available for purchase on Amazon.com. 

Reference 

Adler, A. (1979). Superiority and social interest: A collection of later writings (3rd Rev. ed.). (H. L. Ansbacher & R. R. Ansbacher, Eds.). New York: Viking Compass. (Original work published 1964) 


Add New Resource

Resources

Individual Psychology and Existentialism by Alfred Farau, Individual Psychologist v.2 #1 (1964)
This article describes how existentialism relates to Individual Psychology and Alfred Adler


Added By: CMonn
Areas of Focus: Existentialism
Resource Type: Article
Individual Psychology and Existentialism by Alfred Farau
Direct Link to this Resource

The Authentic Lifestyle: At the Crossroad Between Existentialism and IP by Irvin Neufeld, Individual Psychologist v.2 #1 (1964)
This article describes how existentialism relates to Individual Psychology and Alfred Adler, including focus on lifestyle


Added By: CMonn
Areas of Focus: Existentialism , Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Article
The Authentic Lifestyle: At the Crossroad Between Existentialism and IP
Direct Link to this Resource

Existential Trends Toward Individual Psychology by Ernest L. Jackson, Individual Psychologist v.3 #2 (1966)
Comparison of Adlerian and Existential concepts


Added By: CMonn
Areas of Focus: Existentialism
Resource Type: Article
Existential Trends Toward Individual Psychology
Direct Link to this Resource

The Enigma of Brotherly Love by Walter E. O'Connell, Individual Psychologist v.5 #3 (!968)
A discussion of brotherly love


Added By: AWisniewski
Areas of Focus: Love Task (Love/Couples/Marriage), Existentialism
Resource Type: Article
Enigma of Brotherly Love
Direct Link to this Resource
Back to top
Sponsored by the Center for Adlerian Practice & Scholarship

17 North Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60602

Phone: 312-662-4000
Fax: 312-662-4099
adleriancenter@adler.edu

© 2023

Footer logo B rad logo white 150