Symbolism and reality

This paper presents an alternate view of the history and significance of symbols to Freud and Jung. It is a restructuring of the subject which diagnoses and systematizes the process of the death of symbolism. The first section separates the datum from its symbolic interpretations and shows that such interpretations do not describe the datum nor reveal its origin, history, form, or function. When the datum is seen in symbolic terms, one cannot see it in its formal properties and vice versa. The second section explains that descriptive and analytical studies of phenomena automatically destroy symbolic values and that symbolic vestiges of interpretation will lead to error. The third and final section demonstrates that most creative spurts of mankind seem to be the result of the partial or total rejection of previously existing symbolic systems.