under consideration

 

Modern dynamic 'religions ' (science)

 

From Introduction to the Second Edition (1941) of Science and Sanity

    by Alfred Korzybski :

 

OLD ARISTOTELIAN ORIENTATIONS
(circa 350 B.C.)
NEW GENERAL SEMANTIC NON-ARISTOTELIAN ORIENTATIONS
(1941 A.C.)
1. Subject-predicate methods Relational methods
2. Symmetrical relations, inadequate for proper evaluation Asymmetrical relations, indispensable for proper evaluation
3. Static, 'objective', 'permanent', 'substance', 'solid matter', etc., orientations Dynamic, ever-changing, etc., electronic process orientations
4. 'Properties' or 'substance', 'attributes', 'qualities' or 'matter', etc. Relative invariance of function, dynamic structure, etc.
5. Two-valued, 'either-or', inflexible, dogmatic orientations Infinite-valued flexibility, degree orientations
6. Static, finalistic 'allness'; finite number of characteristics attitudes Dynamic non-allness; infinite number of characteristics attitudes
7. By definition 'absolute sameness in "all" respects ('identity') Empirical non-identity, a natural law as universal as gravitation
8. Two-valued 'certainty', etc. Infinite-valued maximum probability
9. Static absolutism Dynamic relativism
10. By definition 'absolute emptiness', 'absolute space', etc. Empirical fullness of electro-magnetic, gravitational, etc., fields
11. By definition 'absolute time' Empirical space-time
12. By definition 'absolute simultaneity' Empirical relative-simultaneity
13. Additive ('and'), linear Functional, non-linear
14. (3 + 1)-dimensional 'space' and 'time' 4-dimensional space-time
15. Euclidean system Non-euclidean systems
16. Newtonian system Einsteinian or non-newtonian systems
17. 'Sense' data predominant Inferential data as fundamental new factors
18. Macroscopic and microscopic levels Sub-microscopic levels
19. Methods of magic (self-deception) Elimination of self-deception
20. Fibers, neurons, etc., 'objective' orientations Electro-colloidal process orientations
21. Eventual 'organism-as-a-whole', disregarding environmental factors Organism-as-a-whole-in-environments, introducing new unavoidable factors
22. Elementalistic structure of language and orientations Non-elementalistic structure of language and orientations
23. 'Emotion' and 'intellect', etc. Semantic reactions
24. 'Body' and 'mind', etc. Psychosomatic integration
25. Tendency to split 'personality' Integrating 'personality'
26. Handicapping nervous integration Producing automatically thalamo-cortical integration
27. Intensional structure of language and orientations, perpetuating : Extensional structure of language and orientations, producing :
28. Identifications in value:
  a) of electronic, electro-colloidal, etc., stages of processes with the silent, non-verbal, 'objective' levels
  b) of individuals, situations, etc.
  c) of orders of abstractions
Consciousness of abstracting

Extensional devices

29. Pathologically reversed order of evaluation Natural order of evaluation
30. Conducive to neuro-semantic tension Producing neuro-semantic relaxation
31. Injurious psychosomatic effects Beneficial psychosomatic effects
32. Influencing toward un-sanity Influencing toward sanity
33. 'Action at a distance', metaphysical false-to-fact orientations 'Action by contact', neuro-physiological scientific orientations
34. Two-valued causality, and so consequent 'final causation' Infinite-valued causality, where the 'final causation' hypothesis is not needed
35. Mathematics derived from 'logic', with resulting verbal paradoxes 'Logic' derived from mathematics, eliminating verbal paradoxes
36. Avoiding empirical paradoxes Facing empirical paradoxes
37. Adjusting empirical facts to verbal patterns Adjusting verbal patterns to empirical facts
38. Primitive static 'science' (religions) Modern dynamic 'religions' (science)
39. Anthropomorphic Non-anthropomorphic [ ? ]
40. Non-similarity of structure between language and facts Similarity of structure between language and facts
41. Improper evaluations, resulting in : Proper evaluation, tested by :
42. Impaired predictability Maximum predictability
43. Disregarded Undefined terms [see Note: (Paul)]
44. Disregarded Self-reflexiveness of language
45. Disregarded Multiordinal mechanisms and terms
46. Disregarded Over/under-defined character of terms
47. Disregarded Inferential terms as terms
48. Disregarded Neuro-linguistic environments considered as environment
49. Disregarded Neuro-semantic environments considered as environment
50. Disregarded Decisive, automatic effect of the structure of language on types of evaluation, and so neuro-semantic reactions
51. Elementalistic, verbal, intensional 'meaning', or still worse, 'meaning of meaning' Non-elementalistic, extensional, by fact evaluations
52. Antiquated Modern, 1941
THE NEW NON-ARISTOTELIAN ORIENTATIONS DIFFER AS MUCH FROM THE ARISTOTELIAN AS THE ARISTOTELIAN DIFFER FROM THE PRIMITIVE TYPES OF EVALUATION.

 

Page created
Last updated

W. Paul Tabaka
Contact [email protected]

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1