Was Erich Neumann the First Evolutionary Psychologist? A Review of The Origins and History of Consciousness

Evolutionary psychology is a buzzing field today, with theorists constantly debating how our biology dictates our behavior. But long before the modern “evo-psych” boom, there was Erich Neumann.

A student of Carl Jung, Neumann took on a massive project: charting the specific psychological evolution of mankind. What actually changed in the human animal as we transitioned from instinctual beasts into conscious beings? In his 1954 masterpiece, The Origins and History of Consciousness, Neumann lays out a map of this process, suggesting that the history of collective human mythology parallels the development of individual human consciousness.

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The Archeology of the Mind

Neumann’s central thesis is that consciousness is not a given; it is an achievement. He argues that the individual ego evolves through specific archetypal stages that mirror the history of human civilization.

He begins with the Uroboros—the ancient symbol of the snake eating its own tail.

For Neumann, the Uroboros represents the primordial, undifferentiated unconscious. This is the state of the infant (and early humanity)—a state of wholeness where the ego is contained entirely within the unconscious, much like a child in the womb. There is no “I” yet, only instinct and nature.

As consciousness develops, the ego must break free from this containment. This struggle is depicted in mythology as the Hero’s Journey. The hero (the rising Ego) must fight the dragon (the regressive pull of the Unconscious/Mother archetype) to establish independence and self-awareness.

An Imperfect but Foundational Theory

Is Neumann’s theory perfect? No. It relies heavily on the anthropology of the mid-20th century, some of which is outdated. However, it remains a staggering intellectual achievement.

Neumann was arguably doing “evolutionary psychology” before the term existed. While modern evolutionary psychology focuses on biological adaptations (how genes shape behavior), Neumann focused on psychic adaptations—how the mind constructed myths and archetypes to structure reality and pull itself out of animal darkness.

He provides a framework for understanding why we struggle with consciousness today. The pull to “go back to sleep”—to return to the unconscious bliss of the Uroboros—is a constant threat to the human psyche. This is relevant not just for historians, but for clinicians treating trauma, addiction, and developmental stagnation.

Bibliography

• Neumann, Erich. The Origins and History of Consciousness. Translated by R.F.C. Hull, Princeton University Press, 1954.

Further Reading

For those interested in the intersection of evolution, consciousness, and depth psychology, we recommend the following:

• Rossi, Ernest Lawrence. The Psychobiology of Mind-Body Healing: New Concepts of Therapeutic Hypnosis. W.W. Norton & Company, 1993.

• Laughlin, Charles D. “Neurophenomenology and the Transpersonal Dimension of Consciousness.” Anthropology of Consciousness, vol. 8, no. 2‐3, 1997, pp. 56-91.

• Wilber, Ken. The Spectrum of Consciousness. Quest Books, 1977.

• Grof, Stanislov. The Adventure of Self-Discovery. State University of New York Press, 1988.

• Tarnas, Richard. The Passion of the Western Mind. Ballantine Books, 1991.

• Walsh, Roger, and Frances Vaughan, editors. Paths Beyond Ego: The Transpersonal Vision. Tarcher, 1993.

• Krippner, Stanley, and David Feinstein. Personal Mythology: The Psychology of Your Evolving Self. J.P. Tarcher, 1990.

• Gould, Stephen Jay. The Panda’s Thumb: More Reflections in Natural History. W.W. Norton & Company, 1980.

• Dissanayake, Ellen. Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes From and Why. University of Washington Press, 1995.