Consciousness is a descriptive term for a transient state of psychical elements, which commonly pass from conscious to non‑conscious (latent) and can become conscious again under suitable conditions.

By Sigmund Freud, from The Ego and the Id

Key Arguments

  • He defines "To be conscious" as "a mere descriptive term" tied to a direct perception rather than a structural essence.
  • Experience shows that a psychical element "is usually not perpetually conscious"; its conscious state "passes quickly" and can recur later.
  • Between conscious appearances, the element is said to be "latent," meaning it is in a state where "at any time it was able to become conscious."
  • He states that calling this state "unconscious" is also descriptively correct, because at that time it is not conscious but remains capable of becoming so.

Source Quotes

Their psychology of the unconscious is also inapt, however, for solving the problem of dreams and hypnosis. To be conscious is, first of all, a mere descriptive term, which itself invokes the most direct and important perception. Experience shows us that a psychical element (e.g., an idea) is usually not perpetually conscious.
To be conscious is, first of all, a mere descriptive term, which itself invokes the most direct and important perception. Experience shows us that a psychical element (e.g., an idea) is usually not perpetually conscious. Rather it is typical that the state of consciousness passes quickly; that the now conscious idea is, in the next moment, no longer so, but it can be so again under easily produced conditions.
Experience shows us that a psychical element (e.g., an idea) is usually not perpetually conscious. Rather it is typical that the state of consciousness passes quickly; that the now conscious idea is, in the next moment, no longer so, but it can be so again under easily produced conditions. What it was in between we do not know; we can say that it has been latent, 4 and meaning therefore, that at any time it was able to become conscious.
Rather it is typical that the state of consciousness passes quickly; that the now conscious idea is, in the next moment, no longer so, but it can be so again under easily produced conditions. What it was in between we do not know; we can say that it has been latent, 4 and meaning therefore, that at any time it was able to become conscious. As well, if we say it has been unconscious, we have given a correct description.
What it was in between we do not know; we can say that it has been latent, 4 and meaning therefore, that at any time it was able to become conscious. As well, if we say it has been unconscious, we have given a correct description. This unconscious state then coincides with the latent ability to become conscious.

Key Concepts

  • To be conscious is, first of all, a mere descriptive term, which itself invokes the most direct and important perception.
  • Experience shows us that a psychical element (e.g., an idea) is usually not perpetually conscious.
  • Rather it is typical that the state of consciousness passes quickly; that the now conscious idea is, in the next moment, no longer so, but it can be so again under easily produced conditions.
  • we can say that it has been latent, 4 and meaning therefore, that at any time it was able to become conscious.
  • As well, if we say it has been unconscious, we have given a correct description.

Context

Freud’s clarification of the descriptive (phenomenal) use of terms like conscious, latent, and unconscious in the early part of Chapter I.