Griffin, David Ray.  “Rationale for an Encounter of Archetypal Psychology and Process Thought.” February 1983 [Conference Paper].

Abstract

The purpose of this informer paper is to give some reasons why a working conference involving people thinking out one or the other (or both) of two contemporary traditions, “archetypal psychology,” originating from Jung and Hillman, “process philosophy and theology,” originating from Whitehead and Hartshorne, might be fruitful. Author suggests that there are sufficient similarities between the two traditions to make dialogue possible, and indeed almost inevitable; and sufficient differences, apparent and real, to make it interesting and mutually beneficial. For the purposes of this comparison, author employs only the ideas of Whitehead and Hillman. His procedure is, first, to list a number of important similarities in concern and outlook. Then I take some of Hillman’s main themes that seem to make his outlook incompatible with Whitehead’s. Author suggests that some of these differences are not as marked as they seem at first glance; this involves stressing some sides of Whitehead’s thought that are often overlooked, by friends and foes alike. Finally some real differences are pointed out.