Jung and Philosophy (Philosophy and Psychoanalysis)

This unique and compelling book dares to unpick the philosophical knot that looms large in Jungian psychology, and it does so with care and mastery. Armed with an impressive array of expert scholars in the field, this is an indispensable resource for anybody who seeks clarity on the fundamental conceptual issues and problems that are inevitably encountered in any serious study of Jungian thought. It is a meaty and engrossing book, and the chapters spark off each other. It is one I will pick up again and again. -Lucy Huskinson, Bangor University, UK; author of Architecture and the Mimetic Self, and co-editor of International Journal of Jungian Studies

Most studies of Jung have been dismissive of his philosophical errors and mischaracterizations, which makes this collection of essays especially fresh and exciting. Mills has brought together an outstanding group of scholars who have explored, developed, and interpreted Jung's concepts in new directions with philosophical and psychological rigor. This is essential reading for those who want to know what is currently being thought regarding the foundations of Jungian thought. -Roger Brooke, Duquesne University, USA; author of Jung and Phenomenology: Classic Edition

A new appreciation of Jung's relevance for philosophy and of philosophy's relevance for Jungian psychology is moving through the field of analytical psychology, and it is long overdue. This book breaks new ground by showing how deeply philosophical Jung's psychology was, and still is. It is replete with concepts that should resonate with many people working in philosophy-from Jung's prospective understanding of myth, to his insistence on the psychological meaning of alchemy. At the same time, Mills' book raises difficult philosophical questions in the interpretation of Jung, for example, Jung's refusal to draw metaphysical conclusions, allied with his not-so-concealed Kantian commitments and somewhat indefensible scientism. Let us hope that at long last philosophers and students of philosophy will shed the tired prejudices against Jungian psychology and look and see what a treasure trove of ideas Jung unearthed. Jungian psychology will only benefit from a sharpened sense of the philosophical problems and questions raised by Jungian theories. A welcome contribution to a growing field, which sets the bar high for the intellectual re-appraisal of Jungian psychology. -Sean J. McGrath, Memorial University, Canada; author of The Dark Ground of Spirit: Schelling and the Unconscious