Coming soon · Book Profile
The Science of Living
Alfred Adler argues that every human life is a unified, goal-directed striving to overcome a fundamental feeling of inferiority, and that psychological health depends on directing that striving into socially useful channels.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
In The Science of Living, Alfred Adler distills the core principles of his Individual Psychology into a practical, accessible system for understanding human personality as a unified whole. Rejecting both the sexual reductionism of Freud and the determinism of heredity, Adler shows how each person forms a 'prototype' or style of life in early childhood, organized around a goal of superiority that compensates for an underlying feeling of inferiority. Through vivid case histories of problem children, neurotics, criminals, and unhappy spouses, he demonstrates how old remembrances, dreams, posture, and birth-order all reveal the same consistent life-line. Most importantly, he offers a remedy: the cultivation of social interest—courage, cooperation, and common sense—which transforms inferiority from a crippling complex into a stimulus for genuine achievement in society, work, and love. It is a guide for parents, teachers, and anyone who wishes to understand themselves and rescue others from the useless side of life.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A thoughtful reader—parent, teacher, or self-examiner—who wants to understand why people (including themselves) behave as they do and how to help them live well.
- The problem
- Children, patients, and ordinary people repeatedly fail at society, work, and love through neurosis, crime, discouragement, or unhappy relationships. They feel inferior, fearful, hesitant, and overwhelmed, unable to understand the hidden source of their own and others' difficulties.
- The plan
- Understand each person as an indivisible whole oriented toward one goal of superiority.
- Diagnose the childhood prototype through old remembrances, dreams, posture, and family position.
- Identify whether striving runs along the useful or useless side of life and where social interest is lacking.
- Replace punishment with encouragement, decreasing the feeling of inferiority and changing the mistaken goal.
- Cultivate social interest, courage, and common sense in oneself and in children, especially through education.
- The payoff
- Courageous, self-confident people who feel at home in the world and meet difficulties without fear. · Children educated toward cooperation who fit usefully into society, work, and love. · Marriages and friendships founded on equality and mutual interest rather than conquest.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.