--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I regard physics and psychology as…" description: "\"“As I regard physics and psychology as complementary types of examination, I am certain that there is an equally valid way that must lead the psycholog..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/wolfgang-pauli-14510_archetypes_as-i-regard-physics-and-psychology-as-co_1672941.jpg" --- # As I regard physics and psychology as complementary types… ![“As I regard physics and psychology as complementary types of examination, I am certain that there is an equally valid way that must lead the psychologist 'from behind' (namely, through investigating the archetypes) into the world of physics. As an example of background physics, I shall discuss a…” quote by Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/wolfgang-pauli-14510_archetypes_as-i-regard-physics-and-psychology-as-co_1672941.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/wolfgang-pauli-14510_archetypes_as-i-regard-physics-and-psychology-as-co_1672941.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/wolfgang-pauli-14510_archetypes_as-i-regard-physics-and-psychology-as-co_1672941.jpg) > ““As I regard physics and psychology as complementary types of examination, I am certain that there is an equally valid way that must lead the psychologist 'from behind' (namely, through investigating the archetypes) into the world of physics. As an example of background physics, I shall discuss a motif that occurs regularly in my dreams - namely, fine structure, in particular doublet structure of spectral lines and the separation of a chemical element into two isotopes.”” [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pauli proposes that physics and psychology are complementary, suggesting that exploring archetypal patterns in dreams can inform physical theories like fine structure. **In simple terms:** Physics and psychology together reveal deeper truths. Key Takeaway Integrate symbolic insights into scientific inquiry. Themes interdisciplinary mind-body theory building Mood curious analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - psychotherapy - theoretical physics - creative problem solving - dream analysis Key Concepts archetypes fine structure dualism Questions to Reflect On - How can subjective archetypal insights be rigorously tested? - What benefits arise from merging scientific and psychological perspectives? A Different Perspective Dream symbolism may be subjective and hard to verify scientifically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Archetypes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archetypes/) [Atom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atom/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [My background is in physics, so I was the mission specialist, who is sort of like the flight engineer on an airplane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the-mission-specialist-who-is/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [“... it should be remembered that the atomicity of electric charge has already found its expression in the specific numerical value of the fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/it-should-be-remembered-that-the-atomicity-of-electric-charge-has/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [“While twentieth-century physicists were not able to identify any convincing mathematical constants underlying the fine structure, partly because such thinking has normally not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-johan-calleman/while-twentieth-century-physicists-were-not-able-to-identify-any/) Carl Johan Calleman > [ “For \[Wolfgang\] Pauli the central problem of electrodynamics was the field concept and the existence of an elementary charge which is expressible by the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-p-enz/for-wolfgang-pauli-the-central-problem-of-electrodynamics-was-the/) Charles P. Enz > [“The power of the deductive network produced in physics has been illustrated in a delightful article by Victor F. Weisskopf. He begins by taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-holton/the-power-of-the-deductive-network-produced-in-physics-has-been/) [Gerald Holton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-holton/) > [“Today alpha equals 1/137.0359 or so. Regardless, its value makes the periodic table possible. It allows atoms to exist and also allows them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kean/today-alpha-equals-1-137-0359-or-so-regardless-its-value-makes-the/) [Sam Kean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-kean/) > [“Number ... should not be understood solely as a construction of consciousness, but also as an archetype and thus as a constituent of nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-louise-von-franz/number-should-not-be-understood-solely-as-a-construction-of/) [Marie-Louise von Franz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-louise-von-franz/) > [“Take this neat little equation here. It tells me all the ways an electron can make itself comfortable in or around an atom. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/take-this-neat-little-equation-here-it-tells-me-all-the-ways-an/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“All integral laws of spectral lines and of atomic theory spring originally from the quantum theory. 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This led Pauli to develop a friendship with Gershom Scholem,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-frederick-weisskopf/through-jung-pauli-became-very-interested-in-various-kinds-of/) [Victor Frederick Weisskopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-frederick-weisskopf/) > [“If the deep logic of what determines the value of the fine-structure constant also played a significant role in our understanding of all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/if-the-deep-logic-of-what-determines-the-value-of-the-fine-structure/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) > [“You too can make the golden cut, relating the two poles of your being in perfect golden proportion, thus enabling the lower to resonate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-charlotte-primrose/you-too-can-make-the-golden-cut-relating-the-two-poles-of-your-being/) Alison Charlotte Primrose > [“The strength of the familiar electromagnetic force between two electrons, for example, is expressed in physics in terms of a constant known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-livio/the-strength-of-the-familiar-electromagnetic-force-between-two/) Mario Livio ## More by Wolfgang Pauli > [Modern man, seeking a middle position in the evaluation of sense impression and thought, can, following Plato , interpret the process of understanding nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/modern-man-seeking-a-middle-position-in-the-evaluation-of-sense/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [Although I have no objection to accepting the existence of relatively constant psychic contents that survive personal ego, it must always be born in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/although-i-have-no-objection-to-accepting-the-existence-of-relatively/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [ The fact of the existence of two theories \[causal and acausal\] that contradict each other in Jung ... corresponds psychologically to the vascillation between 3 and 4. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/the-fact-of-the-existence-of-two-theories-causal-and-acausal-that/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [A colleague who met me strolling rather aimlessly in the beautiful streets of Copenhagen said to me in a friendly manner, "You look very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/a-colleague-who-met-me-strolling-rather-aimlessly-in-the-beautiful/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [“Our friend Dirac has a creed; and the main tenet of that creed is: There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/our-friend-dirac-has-a-creed-and-the-main-tenet-of-that-creed-is/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [One shouldn't work on semiconductors, that is a filthy mess; who knows whether any semiconductors exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/one-shouldn-t-work-on-semiconductors-that-is-a-filthy-mess-who-knows/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [The fact that the author thinks slowly is not serious, but the fact that he publishes faster than he thinks is inexcusable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/the-fact-that-the-author-thinks-slowly-is-not-serious-but-the-fact/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [When one analyzes the pre-conscious step to concepts, one always finds ideas which consist of 'symbolic images.' The first step to thinking is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/when-one-analyzes-the-pre-conscious-step-to-concepts-one-always-finds/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [The layman always means, when he says reality that he is speaking of something self-evidently known; whereas to me it seems the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/the-layman-always-means-when-he-says-reality-that-he-is-speaking-of/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [The best that most of us can hope to achieve in physics is simply to misunderstand at a deeper level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/the-best-that-most-of-us-can-hope-to-achieve-in-physics-is-simply-to/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [God made the bulk; the surface was invented by the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/god-made-the-bulk-the-surface-was-invented-by-the-devil/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [How can one avoid despondency if one thinks of the anomalous Zeeman effect?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/how-can-one-avoid-despondency-if-one-thinks-of-the-anomalous-zeeman/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [If speculative ideas can not be tested, they're not science; they don't even rise to the level of being wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/if-speculative-ideas-can-not-be-tested-they-re-not-science-they-don-t/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [From the point of view of logic, my report on 'Exclusion principle and quantum mechanics' has no conclusion. I believe that it will only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/from-the-point-of-view-of-logic-my-report-on-exclusion-principle-and/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [For quite a while I have set for myself the rule if a theoretician says 'universal' it just means pure nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/for-quite-a-while-i-have-set-for-myself-the-rule-if-a-theoretician/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) [Explore all 46 Wolfgang Pauli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) ## More Archetypes quotes > [“I would even go so far as to say that the mythical character of a life is just what expresses its universal human validity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/i-would-even-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-the-mythical-character-of-a/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [My characters are all kind of geek archetypes of people I've encountered at gaming and comic book conventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/my-characters-are-all-kind-of-geek-archetypes-of-people-i-ve/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“There are only four stories: a love story between two people, a love story between three people, the struggle for power, and the journey.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/there-are-only-four-stories-a-love-story-between-two-people-a-love/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [Any legend, any creature, any symbol we ever stumble on, already exists in a vast cosmic reservoir where archetypes wait. Shapes looming outside our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/any-legend-any-creature-any-symbol-we-ever-stumble-on-already-exists/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [“A woman has her Juno, just as a man has his Genius; they are names for the sacred power, the divine spark we each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/a-woman-has-her-juno-just-as-a-man-has-his-genius-they-are-names-for/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [There are many people making a difference. I mean, Dr. King never held an office. Gandhi never held an office. There are people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/there-are-many-people-making-a-difference-i-mean-dr-king-never-held/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [Simon is clearly in the tradition of romantic archetypes, your Darcys, your Heathcliffes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rege-jean-page/simon-is-clearly-in-the-tradition-of-romantic-archetypes-your-darcys/) [Rege-Jean Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rege-jean-page/) > [I've never read Joseph Campbell, and I don't know all that much about story archetypes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/i-ve-never-read-joseph-campbell-and-i-don-t-know-all-that-much-about/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [“…our aim has been to provide anyone who is seriously interested with an introduction to the world of the archetypes, and to make this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-neumann/our-aim-has-been-to-provide-anyone-who-is-seriously-interested-with/) [Erich Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-neumann/) > [You have to carry so many archetypes as an actor, especially as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-lehman/you-have-to-carry-so-many-archetypes-as-an-actor-especially-as-a/) [Kristin Lehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-lehman/) > [The way I sometimes approach my work, when I look at a script for the first time, is to identify what the archetypes are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-gadon/the-way-i-sometimes-approach-my-work-when-i-look-at-a-script-for-the/) [Sarah Gadon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-gadon/) > [“Female Mercenary. This will be a companion on your Tour. She is usually tall, thin and wiry, silent, and neurotic. Sex scares her. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/female-mercenary-this-will-be-a-companion-on-your-tour-she-is-usually/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [By using the systems archetypes we can learn how to “structure” the details into a coherent picture of the forces at play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/by-using-the-systems-archetypes-we-can-learn-how-to-structure-the/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The Gods and Goddesses of myth, legend and fairy tale represent archetypes, real potencies and potentialities deep within the psyche, which, when allowed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-adler/the-gods-and-goddesses-of-myth-legend-and-fairy-tale-represent/) [Margot Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-adler/) > [Most musicals are informed by very rigid archetypes. If you get a very sophisticated mind writing them, you sense something else, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/most-musicals-are-informed-by-very-rigid-archetypes-if-you-get-a-very/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 64 Archetypes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archetypes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As I regard physics and psychology as complementary types of examination, I am certain that there is an equally valid way that must lead the psychologist 'from behind' (namely, through investigating the archetypes) into the world of physics. 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