The psychologist, [[Carl Jung]], who studied [[archetype]]s, proposed an alternative definition of symbol, distinguishing it from the term "[[sign]]". In Jung's view, a sign stands for something known, as a word stands for its referent. He contrasted this with symbol, which he used to stand for something that is unknown and that cannot be made clear or precise. An example of a symbol in this sense is Christ as a symbol of the archetype called "self". | The psychologist, [[Carl Jung]], who studied [[archetype]]s, proposed an alternative definition of symbol, distinguishing it from the term "[[sign]]". In Jung's view, a sign stands for something known, as a word stands for its referent. He contrasted this with symbol, which he used to stand for something that is unknown and that cannot be made clear or precise. An example of a symbol in this sense is Christ as a symbol of the archetype called "self". |