ABSTRACT
Goethe's life and work is of particular interest to psychologists because he had a unique ability to describe his personal development and the crises he experienced. He developed strategies to solve emotional problems that are of practical use still today. In his works, he describes a wide variety of personal and social conflicts; his letters, diaries, and recorded conversations are also full of problem-solving inspirations. Goethe's ability to remain dedicated to life and to his creativity, despite severe emotional crises, is of special psychological interest. Psychology has made great strides since Goethe's day, and the new field of neurobiology has given us revolutionary insights into the human mind. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book. It deals with Goethe's conceptualization that life itself is the result of creative realization, followed by an examination of his life and work from the perspective of creativity research.
