William James and C.G. Jung: Doorways to the Self

Steven Herrmann engages us with the story of two great explorers of human psyche, taking us beyond ordinary conscious experience: William James, Harvard Professor of Philosophy and the Founder of the academic discipline of Psychology in America, and, C.G. Jung the Swiss psychiatrist who introduced Freud to the world and then broke with him. Each went beyond conventional beliefs about what was possible. Herrmann uncovers ways that the younger man, Jung, was influenced by James.

Based on historical research and a nuanced reading of their works, Steven Herrmann elucidates their reflections on the streams of consciousness, psychophysics, pragmatism, pluralism, yoga, spiritual democracy, vocational dreams, synchronicity, transmarginal fields, and the Self.

Doorways to the Self is not a mere metaphor but an invitation to recognize the living spiritual reality that exists in every person. This book is an important contribution to the history of psychology in America and the influence of James on C. G. Jung, as well as a fascinating exploration of what it means to be fully human.