6. Sixth Lecture: Dynamic unconscious and built-in contradiction in A³
Although Freud is often regarded as the father of the detailed concept of the unconscious, Schelling, unlike Kant, defines the unconscious as an active and integral part of living human beings with self-consciousness. I believe that Schelling offers one of the most precise approaches of his era to the vital contradiction necessary for self-consciousness and development — namely, the constant strife between opposing forces.
We shall explore the vital contradiction within A³ as a fundamental characteristic of humans capable of conceptualizing themselves in time.
Since the middle period of his work, Schelling's concept of the unconscious can be seen evolving. He develops this idea in Philosophy and Religion and refines it further in the Freedom essay, which can be interpreted through the "Weltformel."
When it comes to depicting the human psyche, what is essential is the recognition of the unconscious mind's active role. It is not merely a conflict between negative and positive forces; there is something deeper — a living drive within the depths of the unconscious mind.
This marks a shift in which Schelling no longer portrays self-consciousness and its emergence as dependent on passive material structures. Instead, he unapologetically situates it within the living world. Previously, the unconscious was considered a repository of inaccessible knowledge; in its refined conception, it becomes the source of drives and desires that exert a profound influence on human thoughts and behavior.
Additionally, Schelling draws a clear distinction between spirit and consciousness. When examining the potencies of the "Weltformel," it becomes evident that spirit and being existed prior to self-consciousness and the making of conscious choices. Consciousness arises from an unconscious decision to distance oneself from the absolute, marking the beginning of personal history — when one possesses a past for the first time.
Although this may initially seem like a byproduct of the theogony that shaped middle and late Schelling, the significance of this distinction should not be underestimated. It provides a foundation for understanding parallels with the formation of the ego in later psychoanalytic developments.
Next, let us consider the first aspect of Schelling's refined system of the unconscious: the built-in contradiction. (The importance of unconscious drives and the creation of the "ego" will be explored in the following sections of this lecture series.)
Regarding the "Weltformel," it is through the third potency that the first two potencies are integrated and balanced. This balance harmonizes opposing forces — real and ideal, good and evil, positive and negative. As a result, both a self-conscious God (as in middle-period Schelling) and a self-conscious individual subject emerge.
Schelling asserts that an individual's consciousness is formed by the interplay of potentials within the third potency ("A³") at a higher level, as described in the "Weltformel." However, this does not imply that contradiction is eliminated from existence as Dasein. On the contrary, Schelling emphasizes its fundamental importance.
He states:
"All life must pass through the fire of contradiction... Contradiction is life's mainspring and core. Because of this, as an old book [Schelling refers to the Old Testament] says, all action under the sun is so full of toil; everything consumes itself in labor and yet is not tired, and all powers incessantly struggle against one another. If there were only unity, and if everything were at peace, then truly nothing would want to stir, and everything would sink into listlessness, whereas now everything zealously strives on in order to get out of unrest into rest."
We observe many similarities when we compare this to inherited biological wisdom and the general truths of evolution. One of Schelling's central ideas — the contradiction between opposites as a force for creating and enabling life — holds greater significance than it might initially seem. Let us examine this more closely.
First, consider the physical aspect. Schelling remarked, "The construction of this contradiction is the highest task of science." Even as a young thinker, Schelling recognized the interrelatedness of magnetism and electricity. He introduced the concept of "vital magnetism," which posits that a living, dynamic force animates all matter and underlies phenomena like magnetism and electricity. Later, Michael Faraday built upon similar ideas, discovering fundamental principles of electromagnetism, including the laws of electromagnetic induction.
Schelling's depiction of nature aligns with an evolutionary perspective, encompassing ideas akin to (proto-)Darwinian "natural selection" and the "struggle for life." Evolutionary survival is not merely a conflict between competitors but also a struggle to reconcile internal contradictions to ensure survival. For instance, an organism must balance safety with the need to search for food when environmental resources become scarce — creating and managing contradictions between opposing needs.
The contradiction between individuals and the state or society is another persistent issue, arising from fundamental differences in goals, values, and priorities. For example, societal order fosters stability and conformity, yet when the imbalance between laws and personal freedoms becomes too great, the resulting tension can disrupt order and eliminate excessive autocracy.
Even the human nervous system exemplifies contradictions. Chronic pain, for example, can result from the central nervous system's inability to manage excessive peripheral stimulation. An overactive sympathetic nervous system can lead to anxiety, while an underactive parasympathetic nervous system may cause fatigue. Similarly, addiction or mood disorders often arise when the cortical regions fail to regulate the subcortical areas effectively.
In the simplest terms, Schelling’s refined approach to the unconscious highlights the importance of an active drive or force as its foundation. He regarded the spirit as distinct from the "conscious" mind, emphasizing the polarity between opposing forces as a key aspect of his understanding.
