Sunday, October 26, 2008

Developing Dianetics

Someone asked me about Dianetics (which is defined in an earlier post) and how it was developed. While there is a 400+ page book on this called Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health, there is a small paragraph in Dianetics that might help answer the question. So, here's the quote, it's from the chapter "The Goal of Man":

"Consider all knowledge to fall above or below a *line of demarcation. Everything above this line is not necessary to the solutions of Man's **aberrations and general shortcomings and is inexactly known. Such a field of thought could be considered to embrace such things as metaphysics and mysticism. Below this line of demarcation could be considered to lie the finite universe.... The known data in the finite universe can be classified as scientific truth when it has been sensed, experienced and measured. All factors necessary to the resolution of a science of the mind were found within the finite universe and were discovered, sensed, measured and experienced, and became scientific truth." - L. Ron Hubbard

To me, this statement shows that the discovery of Dianetics was done in a completely scientific way. I mean, it seems pretty darn logical to classify your information and delineate what it is will resolved your problem from what won't resolve it.


*Line of Demarcation means: that which marks the boundaries or limits of, or divides something so that its divided parts are separate and identifiable.

**Aberration means: Any deviation or departure from rationality.

2 comments:

Grahame said...

The book Dianetics: The Evolution of a Science describes how L. Ron Hubbard developed Dianetics. It's a great book and pretty easy to read.

Julia said...

That's true - I've read The Evolution of a Science and it is easy to read and describes Dianetic development in a nutshell. Thanks!