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Number and Time: Reflections Leading Towards a Unification of Psychology and Physics
C. G. Jung's work in his later years suggested that the seemingly divergent sciences of psychology and modern physics might, in fact, be approaching a unified world model in which the dualism of matter and psyche would be resolved. Jung believed that the natural integers are the archetypal patterns that regulate the unitary realm of psyche and matter, and that number serves as a special instrument for man's becoming conscious of this unity.
Writen in a clear style and replete with illustrations which help make the mathematical ideas visible, Number and Time is a piece of original scholarship which introduces a view of how "mind" connects with "matter" at the most fundamental level.
Writen in a clear style and replete with illustrations which help make the mathematical ideas visible, Number and Time is a piece of original scholarship which introduces a view of how "mind" connects with "matter" at the most fundamental level.
332 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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1498 people want to read
About the author
Marie-Louise von Franz
84 books887 followersMarie-Louise von Franz was a Swiss Jungian psychologist and scholar.
Von Franz worked with Carl Jung, whom she met in 1933 and knew until his death in 1961. Jung believed in the unity of the psychological and material worlds, i.e., they are one and the same, just different manifestations. He also believed that this concept of the unus mundus could be investigated through research on the archetypes of the natural numbers. Due to his age, he turned the problem over to von Franz. Two of her books, Number and Time and Psyche and Matter, deal with this research.
Von Franz, in 1968, was the first to publish that the mathematical structure of DNA is analogous to that of the I Ching. She cites the reference to the publication in an expanded essay "Symbols of the Unus Mundus," published in her book Psyche and Matter. In addition to her many books, Von Franz recorded a series of films in 1987 titled The Way of the Dream with her student Fraser Boa.
Von Franz founded the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. In The Way of the Dream she claims to have interpreted over 65,000 dreams. Von Franz also wrote over 20 volumes on Analytical psychology, most notably on fairy tales as they relate to Archetypal or Depth Psychology, most specifically by amplification of the themes and characters. She also wrote on subjects such as alchemy, discussed from the Jungian, psychological perspective, and active imagination, which could be described as conscious dreaming. In Man and His Symbols, von Franz described active imagination as follows: "Active imagination is a certain way of meditating imaginatively, by which one may deliberately enter into contact with the unconscious and make a conscious connection with psychic phenomena."
Von Franz worked with Carl Jung, whom she met in 1933 and knew until his death in 1961. Jung believed in the unity of the psychological and material worlds, i.e., they are one and the same, just different manifestations. He also believed that this concept of the unus mundus could be investigated through research on the archetypes of the natural numbers. Due to his age, he turned the problem over to von Franz. Two of her books, Number and Time and Psyche and Matter, deal with this research.
Von Franz, in 1968, was the first to publish that the mathematical structure of DNA is analogous to that of the I Ching. She cites the reference to the publication in an expanded essay "Symbols of the Unus Mundus," published in her book Psyche and Matter. In addition to her many books, Von Franz recorded a series of films in 1987 titled The Way of the Dream with her student Fraser Boa.
Von Franz founded the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. In The Way of the Dream she claims to have interpreted over 65,000 dreams. Von Franz also wrote over 20 volumes on Analytical psychology, most notably on fairy tales as they relate to Archetypal or Depth Psychology, most specifically by amplification of the themes and characters. She also wrote on subjects such as alchemy, discussed from the Jungian, psychological perspective, and active imagination, which could be described as conscious dreaming. In Man and His Symbols, von Franz described active imagination as follows: "Active imagination is a certain way of meditating imaginatively, by which one may deliberately enter into contact with the unconscious and make a conscious connection with psychic phenomena."
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 24, 2016
This book is dense and classically Jungian in Von Franz style. Her attitude of nonchalance and her "if you get it, you get it" tone ring clear. Her grasp and love of synchronicity is always the best. The book is peculiar indeed and kin minds will glean its gold.
December 23, 2009
One of the clearest enunciations of the limitation of science to deal with unique events, in this case, the uniqueness of number. Brilliant read.
October 27, 2023
Carl Jung's protege, MLvF was a great psychologist. Not a great mathematician though. She throws around terms like "continuum" and "field" without understanding them. Nonetheless the book contains many useful insights into the workings of the collective unconscious, so I'll give it 4 stars ... but please take all the math and physics discussions with a big grain of sodium chloride.
February 21, 2026
Number and Time is a pioneering work where Marie-Louise von Franz investigates the profound connections between numbers, time, psychology, and physics. Building on Carl Jung’s concept of synchronicity, von Franz proposes that numbers are not merely abstract tools but archetypal structures that link the human psyche with the physical world. She suggests that numbers and time serve as bridges between mind and matter, offering a potential framework for unifying depth psychology and physics.
The book weaves insights from Jungian psychology, quantum physics, ancient mathematics, mythology, and the I Ching (an ancient Chinese divinatory system). Von Franz argues that numbers are universal patterns emerging from the collective unconscious, manifesting in both psychological experiences and physical phenomena. She distinguishes between linear, chronological time and qualitative, archetypal time, where events are connected by meaning rather than sequence.
Numbers as Archetypes: Bridging Psyche and Matter
Von Franz views numbers as archetypes, arguing that numbers like one (symbolizing unity or the self) or two (representing duality or opposition) are not just mathematical constructs but the fundamental structures that shape both psychological and physical realities.
Cognitive science supports the idea that humans have an innate sense of number. Infants and some animals demonstrate basic number recognition, suggesting that numbers may indeed be deeply embedded in our cognitive framework, akin to archetypes.
In physics, numbers underpin the universe’s fundamental laws. Quantum mechanics relies on integers to describe particle states, while relativity quantifies space-time relationships. Von Franz’s work anticipates modern fields like complexity theory and systems thinking, where recurring patterns (e.g., fractals or emergent properties) appear across biological, psychological, and physical systems. This suggests a universal order that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Time: Linear vs. Archetypal
Von Franz contrasts two conceptions of time: linear, chronological time (measured sequentially by clocks) and archetypal time, where events are linked by meaning rather than causality. This relates to Jung’s synchronicity, where meaningful coincidences occur outside conventional time, revealing a non-linear, qualitative dimension.
Research on subject time perception shows that humans experience time differently based on emotion, attention, or context (e.g., moments of fear or joy can stretch or compress time psychologically).
Einstein’s relativity demonstrated that time is not absolute but relative, varying with speed and gravity. Quantum mechanics further challenges linear time with phenomena like entanglement, where particles may influence each other instantaneously across distances. Archetypal time offers a lens for understanding lived experience in a way that complements scientific models.
Synchronicity and the Mind-Matter Connection
Quantum mechanics reveals acausal phenomena, such as entanglement, where an observer’s measurement affects a particle’s state. This blurring of psychological action (observation) and physical outcome echoes von Franz’s ideas. Her work also foreshadows speculative theories like Roger Penrose’s Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR), which links consciousness to quantum processes.
Fields like neuropsychology and consciousness studies continue to wrestle with the mind-matter relationship that von Franz’s interdisciplinary approach (merging psychology, physics, and mathematics) offers as a visionary framework that remains relevant to these efforts.
The I Ching and Universal Patterns
Von Franz draws on the I Ching, a Chinese system of divination using numbers and hexagrams, to illustrate how different cultures have recognized the archetypal nature of numbers. She sees its patterns as reflections of a universal order connecting the psyche and cosmos.
The I Ching’s focus on dynamic patterns and change parallels systems thinking, which examines how complex systems evolve. Von Franz’s integration of this ancient system highlights its relevance to the modern understanding of order and transformation across domains.
Number and Time by Marie-Louise von Franz is a challenging read due to its dense, interdisciplinary nature, blending Jungian psychology, physics, mathematics, and philosophy. The abstract concepts and technical language can feel overwhelming, particularly for readers unfamiliar with these areas.
Despite this, the book is one I highly recommend for its profound insights into the relationship between mind and matter, offering a visionary exploration of reality and the human psyche, especially if you’re intrigued by the deeper mysteries of existence and the possibility of uniting psychology and physics.
I completed this book in March 2025
10/10
The book weaves insights from Jungian psychology, quantum physics, ancient mathematics, mythology, and the I Ching (an ancient Chinese divinatory system). Von Franz argues that numbers are universal patterns emerging from the collective unconscious, manifesting in both psychological experiences and physical phenomena. She distinguishes between linear, chronological time and qualitative, archetypal time, where events are connected by meaning rather than sequence.
Numbers as Archetypes: Bridging Psyche and Matter
Von Franz views numbers as archetypes, arguing that numbers like one (symbolizing unity or the self) or two (representing duality or opposition) are not just mathematical constructs but the fundamental structures that shape both psychological and physical realities.
Cognitive science supports the idea that humans have an innate sense of number. Infants and some animals demonstrate basic number recognition, suggesting that numbers may indeed be deeply embedded in our cognitive framework, akin to archetypes.
In physics, numbers underpin the universe’s fundamental laws. Quantum mechanics relies on integers to describe particle states, while relativity quantifies space-time relationships. Von Franz’s work anticipates modern fields like complexity theory and systems thinking, where recurring patterns (e.g., fractals or emergent properties) appear across biological, psychological, and physical systems. This suggests a universal order that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Time: Linear vs. Archetypal
Von Franz contrasts two conceptions of time: linear, chronological time (measured sequentially by clocks) and archetypal time, where events are linked by meaning rather than causality. This relates to Jung’s synchronicity, where meaningful coincidences occur outside conventional time, revealing a non-linear, qualitative dimension.
Research on subject time perception shows that humans experience time differently based on emotion, attention, or context (e.g., moments of fear or joy can stretch or compress time psychologically).
Einstein’s relativity demonstrated that time is not absolute but relative, varying with speed and gravity. Quantum mechanics further challenges linear time with phenomena like entanglement, where particles may influence each other instantaneously across distances. Archetypal time offers a lens for understanding lived experience in a way that complements scientific models.
Synchronicity and the Mind-Matter Connection
Quantum mechanics reveals acausal phenomena, such as entanglement, where an observer’s measurement affects a particle’s state. This blurring of psychological action (observation) and physical outcome echoes von Franz’s ideas. Her work also foreshadows speculative theories like Roger Penrose’s Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR), which links consciousness to quantum processes.
Fields like neuropsychology and consciousness studies continue to wrestle with the mind-matter relationship that von Franz’s interdisciplinary approach (merging psychology, physics, and mathematics) offers as a visionary framework that remains relevant to these efforts.
The I Ching and Universal Patterns
Von Franz draws on the I Ching, a Chinese system of divination using numbers and hexagrams, to illustrate how different cultures have recognized the archetypal nature of numbers. She sees its patterns as reflections of a universal order connecting the psyche and cosmos.
The I Ching’s focus on dynamic patterns and change parallels systems thinking, which examines how complex systems evolve. Von Franz’s integration of this ancient system highlights its relevance to the modern understanding of order and transformation across domains.
Number and Time by Marie-Louise von Franz is a challenging read due to its dense, interdisciplinary nature, blending Jungian psychology, physics, mathematics, and philosophy. The abstract concepts and technical language can feel overwhelming, particularly for readers unfamiliar with these areas.
Despite this, the book is one I highly recommend for its profound insights into the relationship between mind and matter, offering a visionary exploration of reality and the human psyche, especially if you’re intrigued by the deeper mysteries of existence and the possibility of uniting psychology and physics.
I completed this book in March 2025
10/10
December 9, 2024
Lots of valuable information here on synchronicity and the archetypal significance of numbers. I admittedly struggled with the first half or so due to the abundance of technical information about mathematics and physics, which I wasn't expecting (kudos to von Franz for her extensive research outside the domain of psychology). The qualitative side of number is so important to our time since we are so one-sided in our quantitative bent which, as von Franz points out, is associated with the death of individuality. I did not realize how consonant the notion of synchronicity is with Jung's whole focus of his psychology, namely the particular, unique individual, who cannot be replicated by a quantitative method. The failure to acknowledge synchronicity then mirrors our failure to admit the significance of the individual, being captured by quantitative thinking. IMO, it is of utmost importance to note that the scientific method would seem, by definition, to preclude the possibility of synchronicity due to its nature as a unique event, "an act of creation," which cannot be replicated. Thus, ignoring synchronicity as though it is merely chance, coincidence or superstition, amounts to writing off the significance of the individual life as chance, coincidence, superstition. Number is not just a unit but a meaning, the same way an individual is not just a social unit, but a meaning. As such, this book brings Jung's work forward in a deep way.
June 5, 2021
Another amazing journey into depth psychology with a look at how numbers related to the archetypes discovered by Jung and expanded upon by von Franz. She draws from ancient divinatory systems and contemporary spiritual belief as well as modern science. While she only gets to the first four natural numbers, with a few brief sentences about five and six, there is a strong sense that inexhaustible meaning could be derived from just these: the entanglement between one and infinity; the sense of polarity, balance and completeness that comes with two, three and four; and how straightforward counting relates to the mysterious qualities of time. All of her writing goes to show that there are many facets of the mind that could be looked at more closely, but also she shows the way to trust in one’s self to figure out how it all adds up. And now with more works by von Franz arriving on the bookshelves, it would be great to track down Psyche and Matter to see the full flowering of her post-Jung analysis, before the latest editions take the older copies out of print.
January 2, 2014
Marie-Louise von Franz appears too immersed in the small pond of Jungian psychology to be able to make much connection with physics in this peculiar book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews