Mare tenebrarum, cryptomnesia, and experimental metaphysics: The normal subconscious according to Edward Abramowski...

The aim of this article is to reconstruct and contextualize the original conception of the subconscious by Polish psychologist, philosopher, and social theorist Edward Abramowski (1868-1918), presenting him as a significant yet understudied figure in the early history of European psychology. In the first part, Abramowski's project is situated within the broader intellectual landscape of 19th- and early 20th-century debates on hidden mental life, including philosophical theories of the unconscious (Herbart, Carus, Hartmann) and clinical research on automatisms, dissociation, and cryptomnesia (Janet, Prince, Flournoy). We also highlight the unique political and cultural conditions of partitioned Poland, in which Abramowski lived and worked. The second and central part of the article examines Abramowski's theory of the normal subconscious, emphasizing his departure from pathological models prevalent in contemporary psychology, as well as his argument that such phenomena can be studied through systematic experimentation. Special attention is devoted to Abramowski's analyses of cryptomnesia, memory, perception, emotional processes, and the "resistance of the forgotten," as well as methodological developments, which position his work at the intersection of laboratory psychology, clinical observation, and philosophical reflection. The final section of the article explores the broader implications of Abramowski's "experimental metaphysics," highlighting its affinities with the ideas of Bergson, James, and Bazaillas. By integrating such diverse traditions, Abramowski's model of the subconscious enriches the polycentric history of psychology and illustrates the diversity of early European approaches to the hidden mind. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).