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Work #343 · Late

Psychology and Alchemy

Carl Gustav Jung
1944 · German
Psychological-historical study · Analytical psychology

Alchemy as archetypal-psychological individuation process

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Psychology and Alchemy (Late)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Cyclical
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Non-local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Multiple
Observer · Space Instance Multiple
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Cosmic-ordering
Observer · Moral Authority Experience
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Reversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Psychology and Alchemy

Medieval-Renaissance alchemical time; timeless archetypal structure.

Space

Psychology and Alchemy

Alchemical laboratory as symbolic space.

Matter

Psychology and Alchemy

Material as literal and symbolic.

Observer

Psychology and Alchemy

Alchemist as individuating self.

Energy

Psychology and Alchemy

Transformative alchemical-psychological energies.

Information

Psychology and Alchemy

Alchemical tradition preserved.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Psychology and Alchemy

Jung's reading of alchemy as psychological-symbolic has been continuously controversial.