Nietzsche's Psychological Thought

This dissertation examines Nietzsche's psychological thought based on his works and relevant research materials. First it traces the views and concepts of Psychoanalysis foreseen by Nietzsche, and then clarifies its relationship with Freud's Psychoanalysis. Secondly it focuses on the theory of the Will to Power and its psychological meaning and compares it with the theory of Self-Actualization of A.Maslow. Especially the dissertation compares the "Superman" with the "Self-Actualization Person".Before Freud developed his theory Nietzsche had discussed some basic viewpoints and concepts of Psychoanalysis, such as unconscious, repression, psychic power, sublimation, and etc. The concepts of Dionysus and Apollo had influence on Freud's theory of personality structure of Id, Ego and Superego. Nietzsche's theory of the Will to Power, which is not absorbed by Freud, may be bis most important contribution to the discovery of the mind. The Will to Power, which is beyond the will to life and the "pleasure principle", later influenced A.Adler's psychological thought and has many similarities with A.Maslow's theory of Self-Actualization. We may argue that the latter is to some extent the exemplification of the Will to Power.In a conclusion, Nietzsche's irrationalism and the theory of the will to power has a deep influence on the humanistic science approach of western modern psychology.