The phenomenology and ontology of complexes

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the congruency between the work of philosopher Martin Heidegger and psychologist Carl Jung. Specifically, this article will focus on providing a phenomenological description of Jung's complex theory with the use of Heidegger's ontology. In addition, this article will demonstrate how a Daseinsanalytic description of narcissism is significantly elucidating when read with a phenomenological understanding of complexes. In particular, this article argues that the meaning of a complex is phenomenologically disclosed when Dasein's world is conspicuously experienced as unready to hand and “not-being-at-home”. In the experience of a complex, angst, conscience and guilt are saliently disclosed in a moment of conspicuous obstructiveness and obstinacy, which results in the ready to- hand losing its readiness-to-hand in a certain way. The authentic and inauthentic understanding of the meaning of complexes as a consequence of this moment will be described and related to Jung's psychoanalysis.