Beyond Psyche: Symbol and Transcendence in C. G. Jung (American University Studies)

Martin Buber and others argue that C. G. Jung excludes divine transcendence from his understanding of the psyche. This book identifies the underpinnings of such criticisms, then examines Jung’s inability to respond adequately, and shows that fleshing out his theory of the transcendent function can lead to a solution. The formation of a symbol through this function orients the subject both toward unconscious depth and toward a transcendent horizon beyond the psyche. Finally, Beyond Psyche: Symbol and Transcendence in C. G. Jung gains support for its thesis from the work of psychoanalytic thinkers Wilfred Bion, D. W. Winnicott, Thomas Ogden, and Michael Eigen.