Watering Down the Unconscious
International Journal of Jungian Studies October 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1163/19409060-bja10070 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the unconscious has ontological primacy and challenges Holsapple's (2026) claim that "phenomenal consciousness" better replaces traditional understandings of unconscious process, contending that this view is merely another form of panpsychism. |
Abstract
Abstract In Ryan Holsapple’s (2026) response to my critique (Mills, 2026) of his earlier work (Holsapple, 2025), he takes an entirely different line of argument and direction from his earlier claims that (1) the universe is conscious and (2) populated with (immaterial) souls emanating from a (3) grand Universal Spirit that serves as the godhead of the cosmos itself. Here I wish to take up a narrow locus that defends the ontological primacy of the unconscious while challenging Holsapple’s (2026) view that the notion of “phenomenal consciousness” better replaces our traditional understanding of unconscious process, which is merely another rendition of panpsychism.