Phenotypic plasticity and archetype: a response to common objections to the biological theory of archetype and instinct

Since Jung's death in 1961, scholars have attempted to integrate growing biological science data into Jungian concepts such as the collective unconscious, instincts and the archetypes. This enterprise has been challenging due to persistent false dichotomies of gene and environment occasionally arising. Recent works by Roesler (2022a, 2022b) for example, have raised objections to the biological theory of archetypes, but the objections are plagued by such dichotomies. The concept of phenotypic plasticity, however, helps to both avoid this problem as well as bridge the gap between competing theories into a more integrated model with solid biological foundations.

Automated summary

"Since Jung's death, scholars have been trying to incorporate biological science data into Jungian concepts. However, the false dichotomies of gene and environment have made this task challenging. Recent works by Roesler have raised objections to the biological theory of archetypes, but they are hindered by these dichotomies. The concept of phenotypic plasticity, on the other hand, offers a solution to this problem and helps create a more integrated model."