history of concept of quantitative psychic energy

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Starting in 1911 Jung postulates a concept of purely quatitative psychic energy in opposition to Freud's libido which is always qualified by and defined as sexual energy. What are the sources from which Jung draws for his idea and why is his explanation of his concept so convoluted, why and how does it lack internal coherence, why does it fail to explain how psychic energy is transferred from one psychic content to another, and does it fail, as it appears to, to describe the mechanisms of the enhancement or dimunition of psychic energy regarding any one psychic content? Wundt seems related to these issues. Maybe Wilhelm Ostwald also. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you. D. Tresan

-- David I Tresan (nasert@itsa.ucsf.edu), May 27, 2003

Answers

I do not know Jung's elaboration of this idea specifically (could you give us an exact reference?). However, the standard response to various claims of "psychic energy" over the past century-and-a-half has been that it violates the law of the conservation of energy, first established by Helmholtz in 1863 (see http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1862helmholtz-conservation.html)

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), May 27, 2003.

The best way to determine Jung's sources is to read Jung himself. It's complex material, especially where he relies on the alchemical tradition. You might find it helpful to start by reading the excellent chapter on Jung in Henri Ellenberger's The Discovery of the Unconscious (Basic Books, 1970). For an introduction to the way Jung uses alchemy, you might read the second portion of his book on dreams.

-- Hendrika Vande Kemp (hendrika@earthlink.net), May 27, 2003.

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