Assigning crucial systematic importance to consciousness, William James and Sigmund Freud discussed this topic in ways that are not common among present-day psychologists. Nevertheless, what James and Freud had to say is highly relevant to many issues naturally arising as, slowly, psychologists again begin work on the theory of consciousness. Therefore, despite psychology's longstanding bias against consciousness, psychologists do not need to start from scratch, or from a perspective external to their own field of science. Our two most illustrious predecessors provide in their published writings their very best thinking on the subject. These intellectual riches will better serve psychology if we do not simply cite statements from James and Freud with which we happen to agree. We would do well to learn how to think about consciousness in the sophisticated ways in which they did, so that we might improve our underdeveloped abilities to address this formerly taboo topic.