The Concept of the Unconscious in the Works of Carl Gustav Carus

Abstract

In his psychological writings Carl Gustav Carus came forward with comprehensive natural philosophical concepts (using also the results of his work as a physician) and by introducing the concept of unconsciousness he even re-interpreted the traditional image of man in the age of Enlightenment. Unlike the later terminology of the psychoanalysis, Carus used not the word Unbewußtsein but the Unbewußt, furthermore the description of the structure of psyche was not yet completed with outlining the operation of the unconsciousness in his writings. Several elements of how Freud and Jung interpreted this concept already appeared in his thoughts as well. Carus’ concept on sickness and unconsciousness was also formed not only under the influence of experimental practices but more considerably Schelling’s speculative natural philosophy.