Pauli and Jung: The Meeting of Two Great Minds

by David Lindorff, David Lindorff PhD

The pioneering work of Nobel prize-winning physicist Wolfgang Pauli led to developing the bombs that decimated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Desperate over this outcome, Pauli sought help from the eminent depth psychologist, C. G. Jung. Their long correspondence provides the powerful and unique record of a mature scientist's inner journey. It also has had a tremendous impact on scientific and psychological thought ever since. Pauli and Jung is a lucid interpretation of Pauli's ideas and dreams that forcefully validates his belief in the inseparable union of science and spirituality. Far ahead of their time, Wolfgang Pauli and C. G. Jung both knew this union is essential for the future of humanity and the survival of the planet.

Genres: Science, Psychology, Nonfiction

299 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Riccardo Mazzocchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saggio illuminante e complesso sul carteggio di due eminenti figure interessate in modo reciproco alle conoscenze l'uno dell'altro. Si potrebbero riassumere come ragione/intuito (Pauli) verso inconscio/istinto (Jung). Pauli esperto di fisica quantistica ammoniva chi pensava di poter spiegare tutti i fenomeni naturali secondo le leggi di causa-effetto. Una scienza di questo tipo avrebbe portato alla acquisizione di capacità sovrumane e al rischio di metterle al servizio dei potenti (bomba atomica per es.). La fisica quantistica rivelando invece che la materia alla sua radice (a livello subatomico) è un mistero (probabilità invece di determinazione, complementarietà degli opposti) si avvicina a una scienza più umanistica. Cosi come il principio di indeterminazione afferma l'impossibilità di misurare contemporaneamente la posizione e il momento di una particella e l'atto della misura influenza il sistema, altrettanto difficile è conoscere i contenuti del proprio inconscio per il rapido cambiamento prodotto su sè stesso e sulla coscienza al suo svelarsi. "It needed the extraordinary intellectual capacity of a man like Pauli ... to understand the importance of the complementarity of opposites, symmetry and asymmetry, raised by nuclear physics on the one hand and the psychology of the unconscious on the other. ... On the side of physics it was Pauli alone who appreciated alchemical thought very highly"

[Frater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing look at the common ground between Physics and Analytical Psychology and the advancement of both disciplines in the pursuit of understanding the material reality and the psyche of man. Pauli and Jung both worked together to prove that man and reality, both inner and outer, are very much connected and should be considered linked by middle ground. This marriage views helped strengthen both men's views on life and the lessons we learn along our collective journey. Truly an amazing book.

[Sean Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book throws an interesting light on how these two famous figures viewed the world in which they lived. However, I found the sections relating to Pauli's dream analysis to be quite tedious but that's not a criticism of the book. Others may find them interesting.

[Alecsandra Litu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most interesting read of the year, so far. Two fascinating minds, talking about complex topics (from quantum physics to the collective unconscious) and sharing insights about dreams. What's not to love? I must admit, there are several pages marked as "don't understand a word yet - need to come back to. But that's part of the fun, right? :)))

[Alexandre Teles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great history about the friendship of this two genius. A boundary about the limits of physic and psychology very well described in the physic-psycological issue. The book goes deeper in the Pauli's mind, dreams and the relationship of his psychological life with his scientific discoveries. The book is hard and not friendly for a pure scientific person, it's about transcend the science to see the effort of Jung to make his theories with a scientific basement with support of Pauli. One more time here it shows how the second war affects their lives too and how the science changes the perspective to focused in practical use for destruction.

[Craig Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as a follow up to Atom and Archetype, the collection of letters between the Nobel laureate physicist and the pioneering analytical psychologist. You could read it before the letters and have a deeper sense of the context, but I think I'm glad I got the raw material first. There's some solid biographical background, but the core is in the way Lindorff (a Jungian analyst) works with Pauli's dreams. I picked up some things of use in my own work, most important involving the way that people from our "real lives" serve symbolic functions in our dreams. Mostly for those who are already involved in the conversations, but not a bad introduction.

[Timothy Hooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

not the easiest book to read. learning about their relationship and history was nice. the author was very speculative and non compelling.

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had really high hopes for this book, being interested in both the title characters and very intrigued by the potential cross-over between physics and psychology. The early chapters on Pauli were generally good, although once we get into his own fascination with his dreams and their significance it began to pale. The chapters on Jung and his desire to pursue Pauli seemed kind of pathetic. I am still curious whether there is something genuinely interesting in their exchanges that just does not come through Lindorff's didactic and amateurish writing, or whether these two were just a bit whacked in their mutual obsession, and we should politely concentrate on their more substantive contributions to their respective fields. I guess I'll have to find other sources to answer my question, because this book made me too crazy to read to the end.

[Beth]

This book has been on hold for awhile. It is insanely good, but rather intense.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book.