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Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle (Vol. 8) | 
 enlarge | Author: C. G. Jung
Creator: R. F.c. Hull
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 25420
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st Princeton/Bollingen Paperback Ed
Pages: 160
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.4
ISBN: 0691017948
Dewey Decimal Number: 133.015
EAN: 9780691017945
ASIN: 0691017948
Publication Date: December 1, 1973
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New. Delivery is usually 5 - 8 working days from order, International is by Royal Mail Airmail
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Product Description
Extracted from Volume 8. A parapsychological study of the meaningful coincidence of events, extrasensory perception, and similar phenomena.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Thoughtful, insightful essay October 13, 2008
Christopher R Travers (Chelan, WA)
C G. Jung here tackles the question of "meaningful coincidences" whether omens, divination (the I Ching, ESP, and the occult (he cites Albertus Magnus) and concludes that there is objective evidence for subjective control over the universe. This fundamental issue of subjective control is strikingly at odds with natural sciences and falls outside the bounds of scientific inquiry.
He then outlines a theory which is both similar to and somewhat beyond later developments (it shares non-local elements with Bell's Theorem, for example, but adds semantic elements).
Jung's theory also seems to be to be both a precursor and a missing piece of semiotic theories of the occult (which have recently become much more accepted in anthropological schools of thought). Because both of these suggest inherent meaning rather than mere imitation, they are quite compatible both in theory and practice.
All in all, I would highly recommend this essay. It may be dated in a few ways, but it lays groundwork for a lot of what has come later in a way which is complimentary with later developments rather than outmoded by them.
Well-Received December 21, 2007
David L. Moser (North Carolina)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This product was delivered in a timely manner and was just as the description had listed... Positive purchase experience.
Scientifically based validation for many unexplained phenomena January 3, 2007
R. Xadian (Marietta, GA USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is the first written material that I have been exposed to that actually attempts to quantify (not just qualify) the possibility of unexplained phenomena in a truly scientific manner. It's the most depth I have seen any psychologist reach while studying the difference between the internally self-generated/projected vs. the possibility of externally autonomous psychological occurrences. For one who is involved in self-exploration, this particular work can be the catalyst for much inner growth & development. Be ready for Jung's abstract writing style, & have a dictionary & highlighter on hand for some fun & enlightening reading!
occurences linked together in meaningful ways December 29, 2006
M. Bernabei (Santa Cruz/ SF Bay Area, CA USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
where something other than the probability of chance is involved.
I've found this to be true in my own personal experience over the years but had never heard the terminology used to explain this phenomenon. Once I discovered it, I began looking up books on the subject and, to my surprise, discovered Jung. Since I had never had a psychology class this was my first direct exposure to him and I was very impressed.
I particularly enjoy the episode in the book where he is speaking with Freud and they both experience the synchronization of the book case event.
Highly recommended. Enjoy!
I think it is a terrific book overall.
Scientifically Investigating the Unexplainable. October 11, 2006
Prometheus (EVROPA.)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
_Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle_ is an essay written by the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung, first published in 1952 and republished by the Bollingen Series of Princeton University Press, translated by R. F. C. Hull. In this essay, Jung proposes the idea of synchronicity, a "meaningful coincidence of two or more events, where something other that the probability of chance is involved". Throughout his life, Jung had been interested in occult ideas and as a youth had experienced several occult occurrences. As a scientist, Jung sought to explain these sorts of occult occurrences through the concept of synchronicity. Jung was influenced by many of the ideas emerging from modern physics at the time, particularly as concerned relativity theory (Albert Einstein had been a guest at his home while staying in Zurich) and the quantum theory (Jung benefited from collaboration with the physicist Wolfgang Pauli and this essay and a related study by Pauli appeared together when originally published).
The first section of this essay is devoted to an exposition of the concept of synchronicity. Jung begins by explaining the concept of natural law for the scientist, noting how natural laws rest upon the principle of causality; however, since natural laws are only statistical proofs this principle breaks down at the microphysical level. To illustrate his idea of synchronicity Jung presents several instances of meaningful coincidences which illustrate the "law of series" as presented by Paul Kammerer. For example, Jung mentions a case in which the symbol "fish" repeatedly occurs in his life and in his relationships with patients throughout the period of two days. A second instance of synchronicity mentioned by Jung later in this essay involves a woman who was prone to an excessive "Cartesianism" (i.e. rationalism) and had a dream of a scarab beetle. Later a beetle was to appear at Jung's window while he was analyzing her freeing her of her rationalism. Occurrences such as these suggest the possibility of an acausal connecting principle. Jung mentions the thinking of Schopenhauer on fate at this point and he shows where Schopenhauer's thinking is wrong in light of modern discoveries; yet, he praises Schopenhauer for suspecting that the scientific understanding of natural law at the time was missing something. Jung mentions the parapsychological work of Gurney, Myers, Podmore, Dariex, Richet, and Flammarion. He notes that Dariex found cases where the probability of a telepathic result being due to chance were 1 : 4,114,545, and Flammarion found similar cases where the probability was 1 : 804,622,222. Jung also mentions the work of J. B. Rhine at Duke University on extra-sensory perception (ESP). He shows how Rhine devised experiments in which the probabilities of results being due to chance were extremely miniscule and furthermore separated experimenter and subject by enormous distances and reproduced similar results. Jung also mentions the work of the Society for Psychical Research in parapsychology and presents a summing up of the results on ESP. Jung mentions the role of the archetypes of the collective unconscious (according to his own theory) as they occur in instances of synchronicity, and suggests that they play a fundamental role in these occurrences. Jung next goes into a discussion of various instances of synchronicity, mentioning the case of the beetle. Jung also notes how in Rhine's experiments the mental state of the subject (i.e. whether he viewed the experiment in a positive light or was bored with it) came to determine the degree to which he indicated correct results. This again offers confirmation for Jung's theory that attentiveness to the collective unconscious is somehow involved in these occurrences of synchronicity. Jung suggests that synchronicity consists of two processes: an unconscious image comes into the consciousness and then an object in the world is discovered which coincides with this unconscious image. Jung relates this phenomenon to alchemy and magic (mentioning the writings of Albertus Magnus). Jung also mentions particularly in this regard the _I Ching_, a Chinese divinatory text used as an intuitive or "mantic" method for grasping a situation as a whole and placing the details against a cosmic background. Jung shows how the use of the _I Ching_ relates to the irrational nature of the unconscious and explains the differences between Chinese and modern Western thought. Jung also examines astrology as part of this discussion.
The second section of this essay consists of an astrological experiment conducted by Jung. In this experiment, Jung used statistical methods to examine the occurrences of astrological correspondences in married couples. Jung found evidence for the traditionally regarded "sun conjuncted with moon" and "moon conjuncted with moon" occurrences among marriage partners that exceeded those suspected due to chance. In this regard Jung again mentions the experiments of Rhine, as well as an interesting story regarding the Swedish seer Swedenborg whose dreams foretold a fire in Stockholm.
The third section of this essay consists of a discussion of forerunners of the idea of synchronicity. In this regard, Jung begins with a discussion of Oriental thought, mentioning both the idea of the Tao (translated as "God" or "Providence" by the Jesuits) of Taoist thought and the mantic procedures involved in the _I Ching_. Jung relates this to the theory of "correspondentia" in the thinking of medieval Europe. Jung mentions such thinkers as Hippocrates, Philo, Theophrastus Paracelsus, Pico della Mirandola, and Zosimos of Panopolis. Jung also mentions Kepler and his remarks on astrology and finally turns his attention to Leibniz, going into a fairly thorough discussion of his "monads". Jung also notes the role of number (which has real existence according to the Platonists), mentioning for example the comment of Gauss that "God arithmetizes" and a dream involving a geometrical square occurring in nature. Jung concludes this essay remarking on the role of modern physics in explaining synchronicity, emphasizing a "quaternion" with "space" and "time", and "causality" and "synchronicity" occupying opposing sides.
This book also includes the lecture given by Jung, "On Synchronicity" (1951), which appeared before the essay was written and essentially goes over the same material as present in the essay.
This book offers an attempt by Jung to scientifically explain the unexplainable. His discussion here is sure to not please the so-called skeptical rationalists. However, Jung uses the very methods of science to show that his idea of synchronicity has validity. For the discerning reader, this book and essay is sure to offer much food for thought regarding the nature of reality.
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