Musings in “Academic Psychology” have de-conceptualized out of existence the metaphoric human soul. As if we are all entirely lacking in imagination, “no such thing as compartmentalization,” they pontificate. As if Freud was the only one to believe in psychoanalysis, “the great fiction of Freud,” they exclaim. They are seemingly blinded not only to the real world around them, but also to the advent of functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Regarding Jung’s theories, “we do not believe, we know.” Those who do not know have great difficulty believing. Now the fMRI can help them get there. The human brain is preforming magic. The magic is that we are able to systemically block access to retrieval of autobiographical memory. No we don’t have plaster walls separating areas within our consciousness, but preforming this function of blocking retrieval systemically is demonstrative an ability to compartmentalize entire personalities.
Using posthypnotic amnesia and the fMRI in Mendelsohn, A., Chalamish, Y., Solomonovich, A., & Dudai, Y. (2008), Mesmerizing memories: brain substrates of episodic memory suppression in posthypnotic amnesia, Neuron, 57(1), 159-170. the authors conclude that the simultaneous lifting of the amnesia and the restoration of brain activity in regions crucial to retrieval strongly imply that memory suppression occurred at early stages of the retrieval process. They further remarked that the amnesia produced by the posthypnotic suggestion “affects an executive pre-retrieval monitoring process, which produces an early decision on whether to proceed or not on retrieval . . . [.]”
More recently we have a study from Germany on neural activation during free association. Schmeing, J., Kehyayan, A., Kessler, H., Do Lam, A., Juergen, F., Schmidt, A., Nikolai, A., Can the Neural Basis of Repression Be Studied in the MRI Scanner? New Insights from Two Free Association Paradigms. “This pattern of results fits exactly to the psychodynamic theories of repression as a mechanism for avoiding conscious access to conflict-related material. One relevant future project will be to test the effects of individually-designed stimuli, e.g. derived from psychotherapy or operationalized psychodynamic diagnostics (OPD). Furthermore, it will be interesting to apply this paradigm to clinical populations whose psychopathology is assumed to depend on repression, for example patients with conversion disorders or dissociative pseudo-seizures. Possibly, brain activation patterns during this paradigm may point towards relevant unresolved conflicts – reminiscent of the initial ideas of C.G. Jung, and in line with previous research in the emerging new field of ‘Neuro-Psychoanalysis’ [56–58].”
Are those in academia too heavily invested in their own thinking to be capable of a greater enlightenment?
Replies
Q: "Are those in academia too heavily invested in their own thinking to be capable of a greater enlightenment?"
The short answer is yes. However, if you want an in-depth look as to the "Why" simply watch Ben Steins documentary: "Expelled" and read or listen to Rupert Scheldrakes book "Science Set Free"
I've already posted the link in a comment to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljGH07Unfe8 (The Prisoner, The General WHY?). I think Gerard is releasing in his topics hints to something personal, but I can't figure out WHY exactly is Gerard Scott thinking so much about it. That earlier description of Jung's grin (A cynical distance (imagine a politician without pants and then analyze his work and charisma) to something?) looks like a part of a bigger picture.