Alfred Schütz was an Austrian philosopher and sociologist, best known for his work in the field of social phenomenology. Born in 1899, he focused on how individuals perceive and interpret their social world. His ideas emphasized the importance of subjective experiences and the meanings people attach to their actions and interactions. Schütz's most notable contributions include his theories on the lifeworld and the concept of intersubjectivity, which explore how shared understandings shape social reality. He was influenced by the works of Edmund Husserl and later became a significant figure in the development of sociology and phenomenology.