2E Jung

Question 1

What aspects of Freud’s work did Jung agree/disagree with?

Answer 1

• Shared a similar view of how the mind works, but realised that Freud’s view of the subconscious was too narrow
• Agreed that r. = a psychological phenomenon but not a neurotic illness caused by sexual trauma, nor that it was dangerous for society (∴ set out to put r. in a more positive light)

Question 2

What were Jung’s key conclusions?

Answer 2

• R. = a natural process, stemming from archetypes within the unconscious mind
• R. performs function of harmonising an individual’s psyche
• R. benefits the individual and society
• The removal of r. from society would cause psychological problems

Question 3

What are Jung’s archetypes?

Answer 3

• Literally means ‘original patterns’
• They are dynamic, unconscious entities which generate images in the conscious mind but cannot be known directly
• He believed that all of humanity shares a primitive past that directs and influences present behaviour
• They are unlearned and function to organise how we exp. certain things
• Symbols and images from different cultures are often similar ∵ they have emerged from archetypes

Question 4

What is an archetypal figure?

Answer 4

• “a tendency to form such representations of a motif”

* The no. of archetypal images = limitless but there are regular patterns of meaning

Question 5

What is the archetype of the Persona?

Answer 5

• The mask we wear to make an impression on others
• It may conceal the true nature and represents all social masks
• It is an idealised image and not a true reflection of our personal consciousness
• Can lead to inner conflict + repression of individuality

Question 6

What is the archetype of the Shadow?

Answer 6

• The suppressed, unconscious part of the personality
• The side we prefer not to reveal
• Source of creative and destructive energies
• Contrasts the Persona and can be the source of shame and anxiety
• If unrecognised, it is projected on to others who are thought to embody repressed tendencies resident in that person’s psyche

Question 7

What is the archetype of the Anima/Animus?

Answer 7

• Inner attitudes taking the characteristics of the opposite sex
• Anima = archetypal image of a woman unconsciously present in every man
• Animus = archetypal image of a man unconsciously present in every woman

Question 8

What is the archetype of the Self?

Answer 8

• Represents harmony between various opposing qualities
• Provides a sense of unity and exp.
• The aim of every individual = achieve a sense of “self-hood”
• Impossible to fully embody the Self

Question 9

What is the collective unconscious?

Answer 9

• “It has contents and modes of behaviour that are more or less the same everywhere and in all individuals
• Agreed with Freud that the personal unconscious consisted of lost or repressed memories which, for some, take the form of complexes
• However, he regarded repressed material as only one kind of unconscious content; the collective unconscious lies below this

Question 10

What does the psyche consist of?

Answer 10

• Ego (consciousness)
• Personal unconscious
• Collective unconscious

Question 11

What does the collective unconscious consist of?

Answer 11

• Primordial images derived from early human history which stem from our ancestral past and includeboth human and pre-human exp.s; cannot be traced to an individual’s past exp.s

Question 12

Explain how God is an archetype.

Answer 12

• Human images of G = archetypal; we are born w/ a tendency to generate r. images
• The ability to generate G as an archetype = something that all humans have and includes details that are a reflection of the individual’s exp. of the world
• Did not believe that calling G an archetype was negative, nor does it take away from the imp. of r.
• When a human engages w/ the archetype of G., it becomes a r. exp., even if objectively, G does not exist

Question 13

What is individuation?

Answer 13

• A process where an individual seeks a wholeness/balance within their life by moving towards the achievement of the Self
• We repress atrriubtes of our true Self ∵ they do not conform to the archetype, but the repressed traits must be integrated into our consciousness if we are to realise our true Self
• Aims to divest the Self of the true wrappings of the Persona and the suggestive power of the primordial images; it balances the contradictory nature of archetypes to unite opposites

Question 14

How are archetypes brought into the consciousness?

Answer 14

• From the collective unconscious by symbols
• Archetypal symbols mediate the process of individuation as they express and bring about the union of opposites; images, dogmas and rites form the religious traditions

Question 15

What is the link between archetypes and religion?

Answer 15

• Symbolic archetypes connect the idea of G to our human exp. of r.

Question 16

Explain the symbolic archetype of Christ.

Answer 16

• Symbolises the necessary sacrifice of the ego in order to become more complete
• The separation of J from G symbolises our human separation from our parents
• Did not mean that J existed in history
• He is perfect, but incomplete as he lacks a Shadow

Question 17

Explain the symbolic archetype of the Eucharist.

Answer 17

• Symbolises those who sacrifice the selfish part of the ego, resulting in the Self being transformed
• G sent his own son to be sacrificed but rises again

Question 18

The individuation is the quest to find…

Answer 18

• The ‘God within’ and the symbol of the Self
• A r. quest, using r. images to achieve deeper images of the Self
• G = Deep inner reality, not an external object; he is an expression of the collective

Question 19

How does the ‘God within’ link to Rudolf Otto?

Answer 19

• R. exp. w/ G. = encounter w/ Self - a feeling of the numinous
• Otto: the numinous is a mysterious and awe-inspiring

Question 20

Why does Jung say that religion is a positive error?

Answer 20

• G and r. phenomena draw humans towards psychic wholeness; it provides us with assurance and strength

Question 21

How does Jung link the First World War to religion?

Answer 21

• R., social, political certainties = torn down after war; ppl had become disconnected w/ r.
• Uncertainty + disillusionment followed and civilisation = dominated by materialism, science and technology
• R. symbols that projected archetypes were absent; led to psychoneurosis resulting from a disharmony between consciousness and unconsciousness
• Healing must come from restoring harmony with oneself
• In his 1932 ‘Psychotherapists or the Clergy’, Jung stated that “Among all my patients, there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a r. outlook…none of them has been really healed who did not regain his r. outlook”

Question 22

What does Jung say is different about the Western and Asian mind?

Answer 22

• Western: extroverted; in search of outer reality

* Asian: introverted; in search of the source of existence, the psyche

Question 23

How is Buddhist meditation similar to Jung’s theory?

Answer 23

• There are four Brahma Viharas (Buddhist virtues; meditative states)
• The practice is similar to the God archetype involving development of positive, wholesome images for reflection
• Idea of the Self harmonising the ‘fuller picture’ of reality = similar to meditation leading to enlightenment

Question 24

Why is organised religion a failure?

Answer 24

• Symbols in org. r. = only objects ∴ lost meaning and power to actulaise the G archetype

Question 25

Explain the challenge of the lack of empirical evidence for Jungian concepts.

Answer 25

• No method can fully verify his claims and cannot be demonstrated by empirical evidence
• A resemblance between effects does not establish a similarity in causes
• Palmer: Jung “infers a necessary proposition…which will therefore be applicable no matter what images they may construct”
• He does not provide any criterion to distinguish between archetypes; assumes that humans have an a priori disposition to construct G images
• Hall and Lindzey: he relies on armchair techniques rather than on quantification
• His 1932 study had a small sample size: “over thirty-five” patients

Question 26

Explain the challenge of reductionist views regarding religious belief.

Answer 26

• An exp. stemming from the mind cannot be termed ‘religious’; Christ is not just a symbol, he is historic; To C.tians. it is unacceptable that, to Jung, it does not matter that J. was not a person, but rather a psychic exp. to exemplify an archetype
• Fromm: Jung is “seemingly indifferent to the striving for truth that lies at the heart of r. aspirations”
• The term ‘religion’ becomes so broad in scope that it could be used for any system of ideas
• Ignores the existence of atheists/non-theistic faiths