Grounded in the natural philosophy of the Middle Ages, alchemy formed a bridge: on the one hand into the past, to Gnosticism, and on the other into the future, to the modern psychology of the unconscious.
It is really the mistake of our age. We think it is enough to discover new things, but we don't realize that knowing more demands a corresponding development of morality.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that simply gaining knowledge is insufficient; moral development must accompany it.
Carl Jung's quote highlights a critical perspective on the relationship between knowledge and morality in modern society. He argues that while discovering new information and innovations is important, true progress requires an equal focus on the ethical implications of that knowledge. Without a corresponding development in our moral understanding, the advancements we make could lead to detrimental consequences, suggesting that our age should prioritize ethical growth alongside intellectual discovery.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing the impact of technology in education, this quote could illustrate the importance of moral education.
More from Carl Jung
All quotes →The majority of my patients consisted not of believers but of those who had lost their faith.
Complexes are psychic contents which are outside the control of the conscious mind. They have been split off from consciousness and lead a separate existence in the unconscious, being at all times ready to hinder or to reinforce the conscious intentions.
We are in a far better position to observe instincts in animals or in primitives than in ourselves. This is due to the fact that we have grown accustomed to scrutinizing our own actions and to seeking rational explanations for them.
From the viewpoint of analytic psychology, the theatre, aside from any aesthetic value, may be considered as an institution for the treatment of the mass complex.
I have treated many hundreds of patients. Among those in the second half of life - that is to say, over 35 - there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.
Similar quotes
Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when you write it down, and when you reread it and realise you were wrong. Making mistakes is part of life. The only things I would feel ashamed of would be if I had said things I hadn't believed in order to get on. Some politicians do do that.
Let your Discourse with Men of Business be Short and Comprehensive.
The difference between Talent and Genius is that Talent says things which he has never heard but once, and Genius things which he has never heard.
How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?
Charting is a little like surfing. You dont have to know a lot about the physics of tides, resonance, and fluid dynamics in order to catch a good wave. You just have to be able to sense when its happening and then have the drive to act at the right time.
Some of us are returning to sanity, because we're tired of the pain. We're in a hurry. No time to mess around.