The Metaphysical Thought

Before delving into this article, it’s essential to understand a few key terms: collective consciousness, subconscious, and unconscious. Later in the article, I will propose a mechanism for metaphysical reality.

Carl Jung originally proposed the idea of the collective unconscious which he described as a part of the unconscious mind shared between beings of the same species (Jung, 1959). The concept refers to universal patterns of thought and symbolism that transcend individual experience. While the personal unconscious contains thoughts and experiences unique to a person, the collective unconscious consists of shared ancestral memories in the form of archetypes. These archetypes, which take the form of themes, images, and myths, are said to reveal a common psychic substrate present in all humans regardless of time or culture (Jung, 1964).

The main archetypes described by Jung include the anima/animus (the feminine and masculine elements in one’s nature), the shadow (the dark, repressed parts of the personality), the old wise man, and the great mother.

According to Jung, archetypes can surface through dreams, visions, fantasies, intrusive thoughts, creative expressions, and spiritual experiences. They affect our thinking, behavior, and relationships in non-obvious ways and offer insights into the workings of the human psyche (Jung, 1978).

The human unconscious, as conceptualized by Sigmund Freud (1920), refers to mental processes that occur automatically and are not available for introspection. This part of the mind contains thoughts and memories that the individual has forgotten or repressed but that still influence their behavior and feelings. Freud divided the unconscious mind into the id, ego, and superego, with the id comprising instinctual urges and the ego representing rational thought. Together, the dynamic interplay between these structures determines behavior and conscious thought (Freud, 1923).

Recent research in cognitive neuroscience has expanded our understanding of the unconscious, demonstrating that much of human cognition occurs without conscious awareness or intent. Scientists study the unconscious using techniques such as subliminal priming, implicit association tests, and functional brain imaging (Kihlstrom, 1987; Dehaene et al., 2006). This work indicates that the unconscious automatically processes information from our senses governs important emotional and cognitive functions, and relies on distinct neural networks from those involved in conscious thought (Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, 2006; Berntson et al., 2011).

While the collective unconscious provides a common substrate of imagery and symbols, the individual unconscious is shaped by each person’s unique experiences, memories, and repressed contents. The individual unconscious thus exhibits both collective and personal elements (White, 1970; Fromm, 1973). It resides within the broader context of the collective, yet holds the seeds of novel insights that could one day reshape the collective itself.

Individual consciousness refers to the subjective experience of an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. It is the awareness that an individual has of their existence and the world around them. Individual consciousness is a deeply personal experience, and it is shaped by an individual’s unique life experiences, beliefs, and values.

Collective consciousness, on the other hand, refers to the shared beliefs, values, and experiences of a group of individuals. It is the shared awareness and understanding of a community or society, and it is shaped by cultural, social, and historical factors. Collective consciousness can be seen as the sum of the individual consciousnesses within a group, but it also goes beyond that to include shared symbols, language, and traditions that shape the way in which individuals within the group think.

The diagram depicted above highlights the interrelatedness between individual unconsciousness and collective consciousness, which I have termed the metaphysical force that propels both individual and collective consciousness and ultimately shapes our thoughts and actions. This metaphysical force operates in a dynamic fashion, where the collective consciousness influences the individual unconsciousness, which in turn affects the collective consciousness, creating a constant cycle of interdependence.

The interplay between individual and collective consciousness gives rise to our thoughts, which we shape by drawing on both our internal reflections (informed by our consciousness) and external influences (informed by our collective consciousness). However, since our thoughts are shaped by both internal and external factors, they are susceptible to bias.

When we organize and structure our thoughts, it triggers a cascade of emotions that impacts our choices and behaviours. These actions when performed in the external world, then contribute to the metaphysical force that shapes our individual and collective unconscious, creating a feedback loop that perpetuates itself.

“It’s a hot day and I want to have an ice cream” — Let’s analyse this thought.

Let’s start with the base and go upwards.

Individual — Cognitive scripts and schemas built up through past experiences influence the emergence of such thoughts (Marshall & Zanna, 1998). Early memories of enjoying ice cream on hot days become stored representations that are primed and activated when similar environmental conditions are encountered (Tulving & Schacter, 1990).

Collective — Cultural and social norms also shape individuals’ knowledge structures regarding appropriate activities and refreshments for hot weather (Fiske & Taylor, 2013).

In the case of ice cream on a hot day, this shared belief or attitude might be something like “When it’s hot outside, it’s enjoyable to eat something cold and refreshing, like ice cream.” This cultural norm might be reinforced over time through socialization and marketing. For example, ice cream companies may run advertisements that show people enjoying ice cream on hot days, creating an association between warm weather and ice cream in people’s minds.

On an individual level, the thought arises from physiological factors such as hunger, thirst, or a desire for a specific taste. Individual experiences and memories can also play a role in this thought process. For example, if you have positive memories associated with eating ice cream on a hot day, this can influence your desire to have one now.

As we integrate various factors, our brain organizes our thoughts and can trigger associated emotions. This process is influenced by both internal and external cues, which are shaped by individual and collective consciousness. However, this can also lead to the development of unintended biases, which may occur on a conscious or subconscious level. The structuring process often occurs in layers, as our brain generates thoughts by questioning itself. For example, when deciding whether to have ice cream, our brain might generate basic thoughts such as

1. “Should I have the ice cream or not?”

2. “Do I have enough money to buy an ice cream?”

3. “Will it taste good?

4. “Which brand should I pick?”

Once our thoughts are structured, our brain attempts to assign or generate an emotion to aid in making an optimal decision. This is what we commonly refer to as our “feeling” about the thought. To arrive at this feeling, our brain may run simulations or probabilistic future scenarios based on memories or past experiences. The five basic emotions are happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust.

Let’s explore how we might assign emotions to the questions posed earlier. We can use the format of {Binary Option} — {Potential Emotional Outcome}:

• “Should I have the ice cream or not?” — {Yes/No} — {Happiness/Sadness}

• -“Do I have enough money to buy an ice cream?” — {Yes/No}{Happiness/Sadness}

• “Will it taste good?” — {Yes/No} — {Happiness/Disgust}

• “Which brand should I pick?” — {Brand A/Brand B} {Happiness/Indifference}

  
  

Our thought process can become even more complex when additional layers are added to our decision-making.

For instance, if you are with a friend, your decision-making process might involve questions such as:

“Which ice cream is my friend picking?”

This question arises due to a fear of social exclusion, which may have been influenced by previous memories or experiences.

In a dating scenario, we might ask ourselves more nuanced questions, such as:

”What if I accidentally spill my ice cream and create an awkward moment?”

This type of question arises from a fear of something going wrong, which may have been shaped by our previous experiences and memories

After arriving at a decision, we take action, which can create a ripple effect that not only influences the thoughts of the ice cream vendor but also has the potential to impact the individual and collective consciousness, creating a constant cycle of interdependence.

If I were to tip the ice cream vendor, it could potentially generate positive emotions that may result in positive actions, thereby contributing positive energy to the metaphysical force.

Each final action contributes positive energy to the metaphysical force, perpetuating and sustaining the entire feedback loop.

The whole mechanism can be seen as a systematic feedback loop, with the metaphysical force acting as a ball of energy that stores all our personal and collective consciousness. At the end of the chain, new actions alter this ball of energy. This concept can explain how complex language systems operate, how society functions, and how a shared reality is created through this “metaphysical force.”