The aim of this article is to illustrate a new and daring approach for the organization of some basic components from Jungian Psychology, tentatively paired with concepts from Physics and Philosophy.

Keywords: psychology, Jung, consciousness, reality, psyche, model, process, personality.

1. Introduction

The aim of this article is to illustrate a new and daring approach for the organization of some basic components from Jungian Psychology, tentatively paired with concepts from Physics and Philosophy. A most relevant status will be given to the rational and non-rational natures of the consciousness' psychic functions. The existence of a third nature will be proposed and justified, generating a structure that performs as a functional model of the psyche, apt to assist in the understanding of several manifestations that hold psychological interest. That model shows stable-dynamic evolving characteristics, and working from its structure and meaning it should be possible to attain reasonable explanations for questions related to the philosophical issues of unity, duality and trinity. In the last section, the model is also speculatively suggested as a simple prototype for perceived or conceived instances of physical reality.

2. Jungian Typology

One of the earliest works of C.G.Jung is Psychological Types. That book raised great interest within the psychological community and also amidst the general public, as it demonstrated in a sensible fashion the possibility to systematize and classify a number of attributes of personality according to a logical framework. The interest in further exploration of the structure outlined in Jung's typology by the consciousness orienting psychic functions has been considerably reduced. In later works by C.G. Jung himself and followers that appraise the psychic structure and paths of psychological change and evolution, the main focus of attention is usually directed to other notions such as archetypes, collective and individual consciousness and unconsciousness, anima/animus, persona, complexes, etc.

C.G. Jung's Psychological Types contains an analytical narration of historical data and philosophical concepts related to the psyche, descriptions and interpretations about traits of personality, and it presents also original concepts that have become subject of further work by himself and followers. Some of those concepts are essential for the purpose of this article, and a brief description follows below. The names of the psychic functions are typed here with the first letter in capitals to highlight their position as key elements of consciousness and the psychic structure.

- Yin-yang polarity

The Taoist yin-yang polarity is very briefly characterized as follows: Yin and yang constitute the basic polarity of any and every manifestation of reality. Yin is feminine, dark, passive, flexible, and gentle. Yang is masculine, bright, active, hard, and determined. Yang brings yin and yin brings yang, according to the general expression of transmutation: yang=> yin=> new-yang=> new-yin=>.... The arrows => should be read as 'brings', and also as 'transmutes into'. An extended dissertation on Taoist philosophy and its fundamental process of transmutation, however helpful to interpret and justify the following presentation, falls beyond the limitations in size and scope of this text.

- A few Jungian concepts

C.G.Jung instituted the concepts of introversion and extraversion as the two basic psychic dispositions. Extraversion corresponds to a fundamentally active, exuberant, participating and accepting attitude towards objects, that will be associated to yang polarity. Introversion corresponds to a fundamentally passive, watchful, reserved, circumspect and defensive attitude towards objects, that will be associated to yin polarity.

Thinking, Feeling, Perception and Intuition are the four functions of the ego. A brief description of some of their attributes will be presented in the next section. Thinking is opposite to Feeling, and Perception is opposite to Intuition. Thinking and Feeling are rational functions, while Perception and Intuition are non-rational functions.

The concept of ego in Jungian psychology may be simplifiedly regarded as I, the center of consciousness and of the individual will. The ego orients itself inside the field of reality by means of the four functions mentioned above and according to one basic psychic disposition, introverted or extraverted. The concept of self corresponds to a deeper and more enigmatic psychic component, which is often associated to a directing nucleus or deeper urging that instigates the ego towards growth, change and evolution (Whitmont, 1969, p.195).

So, according to Jungian typology we should consider the following arrangement:

Basic dispositions: Extraverted and Introverted

Consciousness orienting psychic functions:

Rational	Thinking	Feeling
Non-rational	Perception	Intuition

Each personality holds to some degree the abilities that are furnished by those four psychic functions. However, it was presumed and demonstrated that each person has greater ability and inclination, that is, a preference, a tendency to rule his/her actions and motivations according to a particular function. That function will show up with greater intensity and will be used with greater frequency, better results and more satisfaction, and it will be called that personality's Main function. Inside a specific personality, the Main function is deemed as the most conscious and it is more available for conscious actions than the other three functions. The most unconscious function is the one opposite to the Main function and it is named Inferior function. The Inferior function is estimated as a difficult feature of one's personality and its inadequate accomplishments are usually the source of much distress and dissatisfaction for each individual (von Franz, 1971).

The Main function, together with one of the two basic dispositions, defines the psychological type of each individual. So we have eight traditional psychological types:

• Introverted Thinking, Feeling, Perceptive and Intuitive types and
• Extraverted Thinking, Feeling, Perceptive and Intuitive types

3. Three Natures and Six Psychic Functions

C.G.Jung established the existence of two different modes or categories for the human comprehension of reality through the ego, the rational and the irrational. In the absence of a better term, those two categories will be identified as belonging to either a yang, rational, concrete universal nature or to a yin, non-rational, abstract universal nature. The four functions of the ego are subject to classification based on their nature.

- Functions from yang, rational, concrete nature

The two rational functions Thinking and Feeling are particularly capable to accomplish analytical or sympathetical appraisal, evaluation, ranking and judgement. They may be regarded as opposite and complementary yin-yang polarities, establishing an axis of meaning that when accessed as a whole belongs to a yang, hard, concrete nature. We may name that axis the rational Thinking-Feeling strait. The two rational functions bring effort, the ability to work, substance and sense of proportion to consciousness.

It is proposed here a correspondence between the rational Thinking-Feeling opposition and the relativistic convertibility between Energy-Matter. Energy and Matter are associated then to the concepts of Thinking and Feeling, respectively. From the particular philosophical standpoint that we are attempting to establish, Energy = Thinking and Matter = Feeling. The sign = should be read as 'metaphysically coincident with; sharing the same actuality as; showing an inner resemblance with; originating from the same essence as'; etc. Energy and Thinking are correlates, associates, comrades at work, as they share the yang pole of the rational concrete nature, while Matter and Feeling share the yin pole of that same nature.

- Functions from yin, non-rational, abstract nature

The two non-rational functions Perception and Intuition are particularly capable to yield and deliver. They may be regarded as opposite and complementary yin-yang polarities, establishing an axis of meaning that when accessed as a whole belongs to a yin, soft, abstract, pliable and encompassing nature. We may name that axis the non-rational Perception-Intuition strait. The two non-rational functions bring to consciousness the ability to engender, to create and to grow.

It is proposed here a correspondence between the non-rational Perception-Intuition opposition and the relativistic interdependence between Space-Time. Perception and Intuition are associated then to the concepts of Space and Time, respectively. Perception = Space and Intuition = Time, following the same reasoning and restrictions as proposed for the components of concrete nature.

Those four functions in two natures, combined with the two basic psychic dispositions, were estimated by C.G.Jung as capable to adequately compose a model for the orienting functions of the ego's consciousness. That model is utilized to explain several motivations and attitudes of individuals (Jung, 1920).

Some well-defined and important differences should arise between the proposed model and traditional Jungian typology. The Thinking function according to this model at its present level is associated to yang polarity, so Feeling holds yin polarity. Perception is associated to yang, so Intuition holds yin polarity. The rational and non-rational natures were associated respectively to yang and yin polarities. Those associations will imply further on in a reexamination of the role of the two basic psychic dispositions.

	yang	yin
Natures	Extraversion	Introversion
Rational, concrete, yang	Thinking, Energy	Feeling, Matter
Non-rational, abstract, yin	Perception, Space	Intuition, Time

The fact that the yang rational psychic strait is established by yang Thinking and yin Feeling, and that the yin non-rational psychic strait is established by yang Perception and yin Intuition follows strictly the Taoist logic. Yin and yang constitute the basic polarity of every whole, share, piece, fragment or particle of the universe. The whole set of functions, and each of its shares, is subject to splitting according to yin-yang polarity. Going on a further step, Thinking itself could be subject to splitting in two yin-yang polarities holding opposite and complementary properties, and so on. Those opposing poles unfolding from Thinking could then perhaps be labeled as the yang face of Thinking and the yin face of Thinking, or something else.

- Functions from new-yang, subtle or inspiring nature

The conceptualization of a third nature is the next step to build the proposed model. That third nature will be called subtle and it may be associated to the psychic component usually known as the self. The influence of the self on the ego is considered responsible for changes in the personality and for assisting in an evolving psychic process that leads to internal discoveries and to individuation (Whitmont, 1969, p.196-197). The subtle nature emerges from interactions between the rational and non-rational natures, and for its turn it exerts influence upon them. The subtle nature belongs to a subtle, or new-yang class, that appears through the traditional Taoist process of transfer and transmutation of contents: yang=> yin=> new-yang... here concrete=> abstract=> subtle or rational=> non-rational=> inspiring. Those transmutations are characterized more clearly ahead, by the pictures in this section and following one.

The subtle new-yang psychic component is represented, in the same way as the rational and non-rational components, by two opposite and complementary yin-yang functions, here named Confidence and Reflection. Those functions establish an axis of meaning that when accessed as a whole belongs to a new-yang, refined, instigating, inspiring and stimulating nature. We may name that axis the subtle Confidence-Reflection strait. The two subtle functions are particularly capable to induce, to inspire purposeful changes in consciousness and personality, either dynamic change through yang Confidence or stabilizing change through yin Reflection. The strait Confidence-Reflection may be regarded as the psychic rendition of a universal fluid that impels everything towards stable-dynamic evolution.

It is proposed here a correspondence between the relationship of opposition and complementarity that connects Confidence-Reflection and the equivalence or convertibility established by the works of Faraday and Maxwell for the two physical entities Electricity-Magnetism. In the same way as it was done before for the concrete and abstract natures, we associate the psychic and physical components of the subtle nature: Confidence = Electricity and Reflection = Magnetism.

A most relevant feature of the subtle nature is its 'density', its degree of substantiality. The subtle nature is denser than abstract nature, and lighter than concrete nature. The following chart may help to clarify this point:

Yang=>	Yin=>	New-yang=>
rational=>	non-rational=>	inspiring=>
concrete=>	abstract=>	subtle=>
power	creativity	evolution
practical	unfathomable	refined
dense	immaterial	ethereal
heavy	weightless	light
Thinking-Feeling	Perception-Intuition	Confidence-Reflection
Energy-Matter	Space-Time	Electricity-Magnetism
yang-yin	yang-yin	yang-yin
...	...	...

An ancestor-descendant relationship is hereby proposed to exist between the concrete and subtle natures. That relationship should be consummated through the breeding capacity that is supposedly held by the abstract nature, and may be interpreted by way of the Taoist yang=> yin=> new-yang... process of transmutation.

Metaphorically speaking, regarding the relative densities between yang, yin and new-yang: The yang seed that grows inside a yin environment shall bloom into something that should be 'lighter' than old yang and 'heavier' than old yin. The subtle new-yang component shall look yang when compared to the abstract old yin, and shall look yin when compared to the concrete old yang. The author did not find to date evidence from Taoist teachings establishing definitely such an evaluation, and did not find also evidence to invalidate it. That is just an enticing conjecture, and its adoption lead to harmonious and fruitful conclusions.

- The six psychic functions

Follows a short description of some characteristics of each psychic function. Detailed descriptions may be found in several works on Jungian psychology, starting with C.G.Jung's Psychological Types. The traits of personality conferred by Confidence and Reflection are much the same as those that are associated in Jungian typology to extraverted Feeling and introverted Thinking types, respectively.

- Rational, concrete, ego, yang:

• Thinking: The capacity to understand and perform through the use of the intellect, of the logical, analytical and assertive mind. Reasoning, Energy, yang.
• Feeling: The capacity to understand and perform sympathetically. The ability to constantly evaluate, choose, assimilate, accomplish and relate, according to one's own inclination or nature. Empathy, Matter, yin.

- Non-rational, abstract, ego, yin:

• Perception: The discernment and creative ability that arises through the physical, bodily, sensorial, or near-sensorial awareness. Sensation, Space, yang.
• Intuition: The capacity of directly tuning a hidden and intrinsic discernment, understanding or prognosis, that may be 'floating in the air', instantaneously and beyond what could be explained through the use of Thinking or Feeling. Premonition, Time, yin.

- Subtle, inspiring, self, new-yang:

• Confidence: The capacity to transmit and perform swiftly with easy courage, conviction and balance, without conceit, arrogance, or hesitation. Confidence is subtle, easy and not assertive; plain assertivity is a characteristic connected mostly to Thinking and Feeling. Spirited serenity, optimism, Electricity, new-yang.
• Reflection: The capacity to meditate and reach a deep comprehension of the objects, of their mutual and universal relationships. The inclination to obtain a sincere, ample and judicious understanding of several viewpoints. Reflection may be likened to what is usually called deep consciousness and reflective thinking. Contemplation, synthesis, Magnetism, new-yin (Aveleira, 2000, p.59-60).

Perhaps the reader may be advised here to notice that Reflection and Confidence should not be matched to the concepts of yin Thinking and yang Feeling. Thinking towards Reflection and Feeling towards Confidence, they share a similarity in the polarity of their natures (concrete and subtle, yang and new-yang) and an ancestor-descendant relationship, but not an identity. The subtle functions possess distinct existence and their own nature, holding subtle differences in quality, density and bearing in relation to the rational functions. Those differences are the single most relevant issue for the present study. Follows some reasons for that distinction:

The concept of Reflection as applied here is only barely comparable to that of Thinking in introverted disposition. The substance of Reflection is proposed as being less material, less corporeal, less selfish, more ethereal and subtle than the substance of the utilitarian Thinking. Reflection should be more interested in finding absolute meanings than in advances and intellectual expansion as does Thinking. Reflection brings philosophical and deep understanding to consciousness and personality.

The concept of Confidence as applied here is only barely comparable to that of Feeling in extraverted disposition. The substance of Confidence is proposed as being less concrete, less selfish, more diffuse, penetrating and subtle than the substance of the pragmatic Feeling. Confidence transmits animation, stimulus and promising expectations anywhere it acts. Confidence brings optimism to consciousness and personality.

- Extraversion and Introversion as a sum of polarities

The two subtle functions, Reflection and Confidence, are affiliated and also subtle-analogous to the rational functions. They were probably identified in Jungian typology as being part of the rational functions when expressed through opposite basic dispositions. The Reflection function probably was classified by C.G.Jung as being a component of Thinking in the introverted disposition, and the Confidence function was similarly classified as being a component of Feeling in the extraverted disposition (Aveleira, 2000, p.60). The very concept of basic psychic dispositions may have resulted from equating the subtle nature to the rational nature with transposed polarities for its functions, and from witnessing the presence and cooperative efforts of different amounts of Thinking + Reflection and of Feeling + Confidence in personalities under study and interpreting their manifestations as if they originated from single psychic functions.

• Thinking + Reflection, in a personality where the yin and subtle Reflection is stronger or more conscious than the yang and concrete Thinking, shall probably look like something comparable to Thinking in the introverted disposition.
• Thinking + Reflection, where yang Thinking is stronger than yin Reflection, shall look like extraverted Thinking.
• Feeling + Confidence, where yang Confidence is stronger than yin Feeling, shall look like extraverted Feeling.
• Feeling + Confidence, where yin Feeling is stronger than yang Confidence, shall look like introverted Feeling.

The two basic psychic dispositions, introversion and extraversion, are not considered in this study as elements possessing independent existence. Introversion is associated here to a prevalent yin polarity in the personality as a whole, and is estimated as a net yin result originating from the summation of different polarities, degrees and amounts of energy and activity of the six psychic functions. The same reasoning applies to extraversion. In simple words, strong (or highly conscious) yang functions bestow yang disposition to personality, and will contribute to present an extraverted general character. Strong yin functions bestow yin disposition and will contribute to present an introverted general character (Aveleira, 2000, p.93). The extraverted or introverted prevalent aspects of a personality may be temporary and these may also oscillate along life, at different intervals of time, or according to different situations.

- Yin-yang splitting and levels of detail

It should be noticed also that introverted or yin Thinking and extraverted or yang Feeling simply are not visible as such at the present level of detail of this model. Two other instances of the psychic functions according to Jungian typology also do not have corresponding views at that level: introverted, yin Perception and extraverted, yang Intuition. Those instances of the psychic functions simply are not exhibited by the functional structure of consciousness at the present level of detail of the model. They may be turned visible, together with their counterparts of opposite polarity, only by means of further yin-yang splitting. Possibly the spatial illustration of the model that follows will aid to grasp the coherence of such arrangement.

We have then a set of only six psychic functions and polarities at the first functional level of this model. All they are simultaneously present supporting every personality and showing different degrees of consciousness / unconsciousness:

	yang	yin
Natures	Extraversion	Introversion
Rational, concrete, ego, yang	Thinking, Energy	Feeling, Matter
Non-rational, abstract, ego, yin	Perception, Space	Intuition, Time
Subtle, inspiring, self, new-yang	Confidence,Electricity	Reflection,Magnetism

4. The Psychic Process

Picture 1 shows a spatial arrangement for the six psychic functions and indicates the main interactions that should occur between them. The notions relative to conscious/unconscious limits should be made clearer by the two flat diagrams that will follow. The subtle nature accounts for a link that supports the cyclic nature of the whole process: The subtle functions appear as yin for the rational functions and they appear as yang for the abstract functions. The interaction between new-yang (subtle) and old yang (rational) inserts a few subtle components within the rational start(*) of every cycle of transmutation. Every cycle starts then from a slightly different situation, and those cycles presumably show the path whereby the evolution of consciousness occurs.

(*)In reality, there are no definite starts or cycles. The process of consciousness is continuous, with several steps and transfers of contents taking place simultaneously, however following a logical sequence. The attraction and transference of contents from subtle nature into concrete nature is comparable to the phenomenon that occurs between two bodies showing different electrical charges. A slightly more detailed description of that attraction and transference may be found in the book by this author listed in the References section.

At the present level of detail this model is a 2x3 structure, built from the emergence of yin-yang polarity and corresponding straits on each one of three interconnected natures: rational, non-rational and subtle. Within that structure, Thinking is yang by means of its own definition: the yang pole of the rational component of consciousness, while Feeling is the yin pole. The same applies for the other psychic functions. After carrying out one more operation of yin-yang splitting we would reach a 2x3x2 level of detail showing 12 psychic components, where we would discern Thinking split in two opposite and complementary concepts, apt to be labeled yin-Thinking and yang-Thinking or something else; the same applies to Feeling and the other consciousness psychic functions. It is opportune to mention that this projected structure of 12 components may be straightforwardly and convincingly matched to an ancient and respected philosophical model, however that correspondence is not a theme of this article. Going still further, it would be possible to conceive a 2x3x2x3 level, that is: 36 components constituting a functional structure of consciousness. And so on... However, the more splitting in 2 poles and 3 natures we do, the more difficult it becomes to grasp the nuances of each piece. The first functional level of the model object of this study is achieved through a structure of 2x3= 6 consciousness orienting psychic functions, representing the yin-yang duality present in three interconnected natures: rational-concrete, non-rational-abstract and inspiring-subtle.

The two following pictures show flat diagrams of the six psychic functions and their interaction according to the same yang=> yin=> new-yang or rational=> non-rational=> subtle logic of the former spatial arrangement. The set of those interactions may be named 'psychic process of development of consciousness', or also simply 'psychic process' or quite speculatively 'reality process'. Picture 2 interprets personalities where the conscious half of the psychic process comprises comparatively more conscious Thinking, Intuition and Reflection. Picture 3 does the same for personalities where the conscious half comprises comparatively more conscious Feeling, Perception and Confidence.

The psyche of each person operates as if its consciousness orienting functions were related in accordance with the processes depicted in those diagrams, permanently and exclusively. According to this model, each individual psychic process advances through those transfers and transmutations of contents between the psychic functions, following the Taoist yang=> yin=> new-yang... logic. That conception, that may perhaps (or probably) be regarded as excessively broad and daring, has been confirmed in a regular and increasing fashion by most of the evidence that the author was able to detect until now.

The diagram of the conscious Thinking psychic process is almost the same as the one of the conscious Feeling psychic process, the only difference being the swapped roles in each pair of opposite functions and the resulting swapped conscious/unconscious halves of the psychic process. The role of each function depends on its nature and conscious or unconscious situation in relation to the opposite function. For the purpose of simplicity of explanation, it may be said further on that an individual or a personality owns, or belongs to, one of those processes.

Some affiliated concepts were listed inside the poles of the two flat diagrams, to help discerning the role and attributes of each psychic function. Those concepts are estimated to hold an intrinsic similarity, to the extent that they share the common essence that pervades each pole and nature. For example:

• The concepts of Thinking and Energy occupy the rational, concrete and yang pole in the proposed functional structure of consciousness. Those concepts both show characteristics of action and exertion, in an attempt to become complete, or full, and these features are associated to the pair of opposite notions advance-expand. Advance performs as a correlate of yang Thinking or yang Energy and Expand as a correlate of yin Thinking or yin Energy. To advance is an individualist notion that carries the possibility of collision, while to expand tends to pervade and encompass. The mechanical energy conveyed by a projectile and the mechanical energy conveyed by an expanding gas offer a suitable analogy to advance-expand. While yang Thinking or yang Energy tends to collide, yin Thinking or yin Energy tends to engulf. Advance-expand are connected however opposite; they show characteristics of each other, and those common characteristics are due to their shared substrate. From an overall appraisal, Thinking, Energy, and advance-expand share a common yang, rational and concrete essence that attempts to be complete, or full.
• The concepts of Feeling and Matter occupy the rational, concrete and yin pole in the proposed functional structure of consciousness. Those concepts show characteristics of trying to be concise, condensed, adequate, no more than enough, and these features are associated to the pair of opposite notions evaluate-assimilate. Evaluate is comparable to yang Feeling, and Assimilate is comparable to yin Feeling. While to evaluate is yang and tends to adapt based on one's own standards, to assimilate is yin and tends to ease on one's identity and mingle in equal terms with its surroundings. From an overall appraisal, Feeling, Matter and evaluate-assimilate share a common yin, rational and concrete essence that tends to be concise, to accommodate, to adapt, absorb and negotiate. That same line of reasoning applies for the other psychic functions.

- The role of the psychic functions

The names given to each psychic function (Mother, Father, Child, etc.) are intended to hold a strong symbolic meaning and are deeply connected to their roles in the psychic process. It should be possible to appraise the character and disposition of each psychic function in relation to the attitudes, actions and concerns of an individual from the point of view of their names as attributed here. Each individual consciousness possesses three functions that are more conscious in relation to the opposite functions. The psychic process of development of consciousness contemplates two groups of three functions -one from each nature- as being logically associated: Thinking, Intuition, Reflection; and Feeling, Perception, Confidence. Those functions appear as:

• A conscious rational function, the Father. It is associated to labor, and may be the Thinking or the Feeling.
• A conscious non-rational function, the Mother. It is associated to creativity, and may be the Perception or the Intuition.
• A conscious subtle-inspiring function, the Guardian. It is associated to inspiration, and may be the Confidence or the Reflection. The Guardian function helps, stimulates and offers balance to the Father function. It also protects all manifestations of the personality, especially those originating primarily from the Child function. The Guardian function may often be associated to what is called in some psychological circles as the false self.

Each individual consciousness possesses also three unconscious functions, opposite to the three more conscious ones:

• An unconscious rational function, the Difficult. It tends to disturb the work of the Father function with its weakness, demands, complaints and frustrations, and may be the Thinking or the Feeling.
• An unconscious non-rational function, the Limited. It is helpful and also creative, however considerably less able than the Mother function, one should not trust it too much. It may be the Perception or the Intuition.
• An unconscious subtle-inspiring function, the Child. This is the most delicate, naive and imprudent feature of personality. Danger, threats or harm inflicted to the Child function arouse fear, anger, despair and defensive action from the whole set of psychic functions, notably from the Guardian function. The Child function shall grow in consciousness as the offspring of the Father and Mother functions. It may be the Confidence or the Reflection (Aveleira, 2000, p.69-70). The Child function may often be associated to what is called in some psychological circles as the true self.

The Child function, altogether with the Difficult and Limited functions, conveys characteristics that are studied in Jungian typology as belonging to the so-called Inferior function. The main objective of the psychic process of development of consciousness as illustrated here is firstly to grow and develop the Child function, that should be understood as to significantly increase its level of consciousness.

- Imbalance and psychic growth

• Typically, a psyche that holds a conscious Thinking psychic process will mainly strive by means of its Thinking and will yield by means of its Intuition in order to feed and grow its comparatively unconscious Confidence Child function. Its conscious Reflection will offer aim and balance to Thinking, and will also contribute with rescue or retaliation in hazardous situations.
• Typically, a psyche that holds a conscious Feeling psychic process will mainly strive by means of its Feeling and will yield by means of its Perception in order to feed and grow its comparatively unconscious Reflection Child function. Its conscious Confidence will offer aim and balance to Feeling, and will also contribute with rescue or retaliation in hazardous situations.

The total conscious psychic ability is unequally allotted among the three natures, and within each nature it is unequally shared among the two opposite functions. Within groups of individuals that hold a conscious Thinking psychic process one can recognize Thinking, Intuitive and Reflective types. Within groups that hold a conscious Feeling psychic process one can recognize Feeling, Perceptive and Confident types. Indistinct, mutable and multifaceted types are customary, similarly to what also happens in the traditional Jungian classification. The identification of the psychic process of development of consciousness as a whole (conscious Thinking process or conscious Feeling process) seems to be more conclusive and easier to accomplish. The overall extraverted or introverted disposition depends on the polarity resulting from the summation of the energies of the six psychic functions involved in the psychic process, according to their individual presentation.

The arrangement of psychic functions and polarities that this model illustrates is highly stable, showing cohesion between its components, which are connected by yin-yang attraction. At the same time, it is also highly dynamic, and is able to grow from itself through a process that is modeled by yang=> yin=> new-yang=>... transmutations between the psychic functions. The author considers that this model may significantly contribute as an additional tool for the investigation of topics as the structure of consciousness, differentiation of psychic functions, individuation, psychic ruptures, interactions between consciousness and unconsciousness, and more.

5. Consciousness and Physical Reality

Overly extravagant as this notion may sound, the author is strongly persuaded that physical reality itself exists according to the same pattern that was illustrated for the psychic realm. That conviction was previously established from noticing a curious and almost palpable rhetorical and philosophical similarity between the qualities associated to the three natures, the six psychic functions and six elementary notions of Physics, namely Matter, Energy, Space, Time, Electricity and Magnetism. Subsequent investigation, however plainly amateurish, lead to detect meaningful coincidences favoring a prospective validity of the model when applied to actual Physics. For example:

• The relativistic findings by Einstein about the inter-convertibility between Matter-Energy may look comparable to the opposing connection that exists between Feeling and Thinking. The fundaments of that connection sprout from their common rational and concrete nature. Matter = Feeling and Energy = Thinking. Renewing the restriction included in the beginning of this text, the sign = should be read as 'metaphysically coincident with; sharing the same actuality as; showing an inner resemblance with; originating from the same essence as'; etc.
• The curvature of Space-Time induced by Matter, when paired with the notion of an 'arrow of Time' as coined by Eddington and which is associated to the decay of available Energy, adapts attractively to the expected flow of contents from concrete nature into abstract nature: Matter-Energy => Space-Time, that is: concrete=> abstract.
• The abstract, non-rational elements Space and Time, coupled by their relationship of interdependence, seem to 'ask for' being placed at the generating core of the process of physical reality. In that same way, the strait Perception-Intuition that is established by the non-rational psychic functions furnishes the most relevant generating role in the psychic process. One should notice that the creative leap between consciousness and unconsciousness is accomplished by one of the non-rational psychic functions. Space = Perception and Time = Intuition, etc.
• The expanding nature of the Universe and its associated Space; the unidirectional, advancing, cumulative flow of Time, adapt well to the encompassing, generating and regenerative role that they conceivably accomplish.
• The equivalence between Electricity and Magnetism as established in the works of Faraday and Maxwell seems to coincide with the opposite and complementary connection that exists between Confidence and Reflection. Electricity = Confidence and Magnetism = Reflection, etc.
• Intuitively, the essence of Electricity-Magnetism seems to be less substantial than Matter-Energy and more substantial than Space-Time. That same ranking emerges from appraising Confidence-Reflection in relation to Thinking-Feeling and Perception-Intuition.
• The overall impression transmitted by each pair of physical concepts is in fair agreement with the characteristics of each pair of psychic functions. Connecting them through similar relationships arises several hints of congruity and no indication of conflict.
• Questions presented by quantum theory, as the non-locality of some events and the ambiguous wave-particle nature of physical actuality, show enticing similarities with particulars that are intrinsic to the structure of this model.
• Numerical coincidences between this model and quarks theory point to a 2x3x... architecture for the structure of Matter itself.
• This article does not speculate on particle Physics and nuclear forces to any degree, but perhaps it should be remarked that the model developed here harmonizes with assessments of the strong and weak nuclear forces as correlates of the gravitational and electromagnetic fields, respectively, at the sub-atomic level of physical existence.
• There are no fixed actualities inside this model, as all the components of perceived and conceived reality interact and change the contents of each other, in a continuous and evolving process.
• And other...

The extent of this article does not allow presenting a complete account of all the coincidences, congruities and developments that lead to consider a connection between this model and physical reality. All those notions towards that unity are lacking to date any demonstrable proofs and a detailed evaluation of their plausibility. In spite of that, the similarities encountered were deemed as meaningful and consistent enough to justify this venturesome attempt to present basic abstractions of Physics according to the structure of this model. The analogies furnished here hint at the existence of intriguing correlations between elements of the physical universe and the functional structure of consciousness. Those correlations match several observations and theories developed to date in the study of particle and relativistic Physics, repeatedly and steadily suggesting that consciousness and physical reality may share a single basis, that is, a universal and awesome psychophysical process of transmutation and evolution.

© 2001 Jorge Aveleira

References

The body of this article was adapted and condensed from the chapters on Psychology and Physics of the book The Blue Egg: A subtle encounter with reality by Jorge Aveleira, Xlibris 2000, www.xlibris.com/TheBlueEgg.html.

Aveleira, Jorge - The Blue Egg, p.59-60. Xlibris, U.S.A, 2000.

Ibid., p.60.

Ibid., p.93

Ibid., p.69-70

Franz, Marie Louise von - Jung's Typology, 1971. A tipologia de Jung, p.11-38, Cultrix, Brasil, 1990.

Jung, Carl Gustav - Psychologishe typen, 1920, Rascher & Cie AG, Zurich, 1960. Tipos psicologicos, p.389-467, Vozes, Brasil, 1991.

Whitmont, Edward C. - The Symbolic Quest, The C.G.Jung Foundation, 1969. A busca do Simbolo, p.195, Cultrix, Brasil, 1990.

Ibid., p.196-197

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