Between science and philosophy: The issue of naturalism on Carl Gustav Jung's psychology

Abstract

Carl Gustav Jung's thinking is characterized by complexity and a continuous dialogue between science and philosophy. His theoretical positions, frequently misunderstood, led him to constant efforts in defence of the empiricism and foundations of modern scientific thought, often through criticism towards what he considered as indemonstrable presupposes. This trajectory shows, nonetheless, a series of difficulties. Through the notion of Naturalism, this study aims to indicate an approach to understand the complexity of Jung's thought. Indeed, two different but complementary versions of Naturalism can be distinguished in Jung: a methodological Naturalism that keeps him close to the scientific thought of his day, and an ontological Naturalism, which is aligned with Romanticism and the Naturphilosophie, implying theoretical considerations which distance him from his contemporaries. To harmonize these two types of Naturalism was a problem for Jung, and it is a challenge to understand his thinking.