Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

PART ONE
Questions of the Symbol
1. Origin and Semantics of the Word Symbol
2. Sign and Symbol

PART TWO
Analogy
3. The Experiential Origins of the Analogical Process
4. The Logic of Analogy

PART THREE
The Syntheme
5. The Synthematic Function of Symbolism

PART FOUR
Allegory
6. The Allegorical Function of Symbolism
7. Apologue, Fable, and Parable
8. Device and Emblem
9. Allegory and Iconology

PART FIVE
The Type
10. The Typological Function of Symbolism
11. The Divination and Symbolic Interpretation of the Cosmos
12. Myth and Rite
13. The Bourgeois Philosophy of the Symbol

APPENDICES
Contemporary Research in the Realm of the Interdisciplinary Study of Symbolism

1. A Letter from Ms. Claire Lejeune Concerning the History of the Journal Cahiers Internationaux de Symbolisme
2. General Symbology and the Exploration of the Imaginary
3. “The Universe of the Symbol” by Gilbert Durand

Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Rene Alleau is a philosopher and historian who has written extensively on alchemy, the occult sciences and secret societies. The author of History of Occult Sciences and Aspects de l'alchimie traditionelle, he lives in France.

Reviews

“Alleau’s quest for the true nature of symbol is an exhilarating one, confirming what ancient and ethnic peoples well knew: that humans have an innate sense of the symbolic, and that once unblocked, it makes us aware of the existence of order in the universe.”
*Joscelyn Godwin, author of The Golden Thread and Harmonies of Heaven and Earth*

"From a history of symbolism in Eastern and Western philosophies to how music affects symbolism, this is a key acquisition for both new age and philosophy collections."
*The Midwest Book Review, May 2009*

"It would appeal especially to the serious student investigating the aspects, meaning, and function of the symbolic process."
*Richard D. Wright, New Age Retailer, Trade Show 2009*