Michael Fordham
[Carl Jung on the “Objective Psyche.”]
Dear Dr. Jacobi, 15 April 1948
I understand what Fordham means but it doesn’t agree at all with my view of the objective psyche.
We also speak of the “objective world,” by which we do not mean that this objective world is the one we are conscious of.
There is no object of which we are totally conscious.
So, too, the collective unconscious becomes conscious in part and to the at extent it is then a conscious object.
But over and above that it is still present unconsciously, though it can be discovered.
It behaves exactly like the world of things, which is partly known, partly unknown, the unknown being just as objectively real as that which is known to me.
I chose the term “objective psyche” in contradistinction to “subjective psyche” because the subjective psyche coincides with consciousness, whereas the objective psyche does not always do so by any means.
I wanted to let you know my exact position so that you can make use of this definition if necessary.
With friendly greetings,
Yours sincerely,
C.G. Jung ~Carl Jung, Letters Vol. 1, Page 497.
