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This is a book which can be recommended for anyone interested in Jung's analytical ideas, how they have developed and where they have come under criticism. The chapters cover his major concepts, archetype and complex, the ego, the self, individuation, the development of personality, the analytical process, gender, sex and marriage, dreams and archetypal psychology. Each chapter is divided into headed sections, and the text is amply provided with references and
cross references, with a full index at the end of the book. This makes it of real assistance to the student and its inclusion of value in the library with a specialist section covering psychotherapy, analysis and clinical psychology.
Writing about theory, Jung said in 1938, “Theories in psychology are the very devil. It is true that we need certain points of view for their orientating and heuristic value; but they should always be regarded as mere auxiliary concepts that can be laid aside at any time. We still know so very little about the psyche that it is positively grotesque to think we are far enough advanced to frame general theories. We have not even established the empirical extent of the psyche's phenomenology: how then can we dream of general theories? No doubt theory is the best cloak for lack of experience and ignorance, but the consequences are depressing: bigotedness, superficiality and scientific sectarianism”. (Collected Works 17. p. 7).
Jung also expressed the view; “Of course if you begin the analysis with a fixed belief in something which purports to know all about the nature of neuroses, you apparently make your task very much easier; but you are nevertheless in danger of riding roughshod over the real psychology of your patient and of disregarding his individuality. I have seen any number of cases where the cure was hindered by theoretical considerations. Without exception, the failure was due to lack of contact. It is only the most scrupulous observation of this role that can prevent unfore