Evolution, Jung, and Theurgy:
IV. Some Implications for Neoplatonism

M. Which “Ideas” or “Forms” are Archetypal?


On the basis of the preceding discussion, we can answer the perennial question of whether there are Platonic Ideas for unappealing things, such as mud.  We have seen that the eternal, universal Ideas are the archetypes of our species, defined in the human genotype (and laws of nature).  What these archetypal Ideas are, specifically, is an empirical question, but Jungian psychology, comparative mythology, and related disciplines, provide some answers.  Certainly the archetypal Ideas include a pantheon of gods, but which pantheon?  I’ll address this question later (Section IV.P).  In addition, as we’ve seen, the Forms include the archetypal numbers, that is, the monad, dyad, triad, and so forth.

(continue to next page)
Go to table of contents

Return to MacLennan’s home page

Send mail to Bruce MacLennan / MacLennan@cs.utk.edu

Valid HTML 4.01!This page is www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/papers/EJT/IVM.html
Last updated: 2006-04-22.