Published: 15 January 2014
In this article an attempt of consideration of the essence of work and its functions in context of the unconscious is made. The analysis of economic, socio-biological and psychoanalytic theories considering the role and the place of in-stincts in definition of human nature and their reflection in human activity, work of an individual is carried out. On the basis of analysis of works of K. Marx,Yu. Khabermas, E. Zhaks, B. F. Porshnev, Yu.I. Semenov similarities and distinctions between the work of an individual and the activity of animals are revealed. Various conceptual approaches given in the works of G. Zimmel, G. Hegel, E. Fromm, A. Marshall, K. Marx on ambivalence of work as sacrifice, alienation and as the pleasure from doing, usefulness, creativity, the results of work are studied. The same concepts are studied in biosocial views of essence of the work, presented in W. Raikh's psychological theory. Approaches to understanding of the nature of work from the positions of the psychoanalytic theory of S. Freyd, G. Markuze and the theory of archetypes of K.G. Jung are considered.