Theos-Talk Archives (August 1997 Message tl00089)

>As we can see in the
>case of this gorilla self knowledge can be very problematical as well as
>being the key to spiritual attainment. If we look deeply into the origin
>of ethics we find the relationships among the parts of the soul that
>ethics preserve. To realize that we are built of soul components that
>function together to produce harmony means that are are necessarily
>forbidden knowledges and actions. 

Yes humans have self-consciousness more than animals (who DO
have some, contrary to what a lot of experts think).  But what does
this have to do with ethics?

I can't see any "parts of the soul that ethics preserve."  Maybe we
differ about the word ethics itself?  I see ethics are a set of right and
wrong behaviors.  As to soul-components, ethics would apply to the
conscience alone.  Our conscience is our sense of right and wrong.
The little girl that I adopted had no conscience when she came to us
at 8 years of age, and still has none at 12.  The experts say she 
probably never will.  She is one of those "children without a conscience"
that you may have read about.  Its a very sad thing to see.  She does
not have a clue what "guilt" means, and has never shown this emotion
to me or to my wife.  But she does have a small amount of love and
compassion, and this small spark carries her through the day.

Actually most "soul components" do not produce much harmony.
Not with most people.  And one of the problems is the conscience.
In Jungian psychology, this equates to the Shadow archetype, which
will only allow harmony when it is in balance with the Persona.
Jung taught that the problem with ethics and morals was the very
first step in the individuation process that we have to settle.  The
entire dualistic battle between right and wrong, good and evil, must
be resolved within each psyche in order to proceed with individuation.

I haven't a clue what you mean by forbidden knowledges and actions.
Do you mean repression?  Repression is how things get stuck in
the Shadow in the first place.  Healing comes about by self-
knowledge.

Jerry S.
Member, TI