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Why War? A Correspondence Between Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud, 1933. In 1932, the League of Nations invited Albert Einstein to exchange views with any person of his choice, on any current global issue; Einstein chose the subject of avoiding future wars, choosing Sigmund Freud, who he felt was an expert in understanding the impulses and drives of human behaviour that influence war. The correspondences were published as a book by The Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations in 1933. Einstein’s opening letter of correspondence on the subject to Freud is founded upon his own scientific and political inquiry into the subject of war, and what drives humans to war. Einstein proposes that the only solution to avoid future wars would be to establish a global body that holds the power to settle any future conflicts neutrally. Interestingly, Einstein acknowledges that the obstacle to his proposal is mankind’s desire for power, and the global figures who are only interested in advancing their own power and wealth - this shines a light on why he chose to correspond with Freud, asking Freud how it is such an easy task to incite men to war. Freud’s response is fascinating; whilst agreeing with Einstein that a neutral body to oversee global conflicts could be the solution, he felt that this was an impossible task due to the nature of man, and that war is a battle of “might” and “right” of a community and the individuals within the community. Freud postulates that the destructive instincts and drives of man make conflict inevitable, with war the manifestation of these impulses. Freud’s response encapsulates the framework of psychoanalysis in response to the question of why war. The progression of the correspondence evidences that both Einstein and Freud agree that war is a natural biological phenomenon, whilst also agreeing that war is culturally intolerable, and that it should be prevented for the sake of civilisation. The solution of a neutral world government is one of hope, but ultimately comes with the risk of corruption. In 2026 I ask you, why war? #whywar #alberteinstein #sigmundfreud #war #peace
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Freud and Man’s Soul, by Bruno Bettelheim, 1982. The thesis of the book is that Freud and psychoanalysis have been incorrectly translated in English by James Strachey, resulting in a huge misunderstanding of Freud and psychoanalysis. Bettelheim postulates that the translations have been heavily influenced by American and English demands to medicalise Freud’s work for the purposes of scientific objectivity, not subjectivity based upon interpretation of the individual as Freud intended. Bruno Bettelheim, studied psychoanalysis in Austria; like Freud, he was immersed in the Viennese culture of literature, art and philosophy. He argues that the English translation completely overwrites the original intention of Freud’s psychoanalysis to be a humanistic approach to helping people to explore their soul, not their mind. Key considerations for me include: ▪️Psychoanalysis is humanistic. If this is correct, this has led to not only a misunderstanding, but also false perception of Freud and psychoanalysis. One of the criticisms of psychoanalysis is that it cannot be scientifically measured or falsified; this would solidify that Freud never intended it to be measured scientifically, with rigidity. ▪️Freud meant the soul, not the mind. The Id, Ego and Super-ego have been mistranslated from It, I and Over-I. If Freud meant soul, psychoanalysis was an exploration of the individual, with the client holding the answers to themselves, not the therapist. An example - English translation says “mental apparatus”, the original was “structure of the soul”. ▪️Psychoanalysis is potentially being misrepresented in English speaking therapeutic environments. Paradoxically, Anna Freud was part of the translation team, consulting with Strachey. Bettelheim argues that the translation was modified to preserve psychoanalysis, and Freud’s reputation with the medically centred and scientific expectations of American and English culture. In doing this, Freud was unintentionally set up for failure. As a final note, what was initially a book review, has now evolved into a research project for me. #psychoanalysis #freudandmanssoul #sigmundfreud #brunobettelheim #psychotherapy
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