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| '''Dianetics''' is a word combined from the Greek words ''dia'' (through) and ''nous'' (soul) or ''through soul''. Author L. Ron Hubbard introduced the word and the subject in the late 1940s. In a lecture in 1951 Mr. Hubbard read a dictionary supplement defining Dianetics as: "A system for the analysis, control and development of human thought evolved from a set of coordinated axioms which also provide techniiques for the treatment of a wide range of mental disorders and organic diseases." | |||
| '''Dianetics''' is put forward as a ] to alleviate unwanted sensations and emotions, irrational fears and ] illnesses. Developed by ] in the late ], Dianetics was coined from the Greek words ''dia'', meaning "through" and ''nous'', meaning "soul". Hubbard's meaning in creating Dianetics might be said as "what the soul is doing to the body." | |||
| ==Clear== | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| The end goal of Dianetics in 1950 was a person that could be tested for any and all neuroses, psychoses, compulsions, repressions, all mental aberrations, and all psychosomatic ills and be found to be free of such things. Tests could be run before and after Dianetics to prove this state was achieved by Dianetics. This is a clear. Clears were found to have intelligence high above the current norm and to pursue life with vigor and satisfaction. His emotions could be seen to be fluid, no longer fixed. He was his basic self or basic personality and very unique. He had all the information of his experience available to him fully. | |||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| Dianetics presents itself as a systemic method of identifying the causes of and relieving many of an individual's mental, emotional or (psychosomatically) physical problems. Fundamental to the system is the concept of the ], which is defined in Dianetics (as opposed to how it was defined by ], the inventor of the term) as "a moment of ] containing physical pain or painful emotion and all perceptions." Engrams contain all of the experience of being unconscious but are not usually available to the conscious mind. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Dianetics and Scientology== | ||
| Hubbard in ''Dianetics'' states: " ... an organized science of thought built on definite axioms: statements of natural laws on the order of those of the physical sciences". | |||
| ⚫ | The copyrights and trademarks of Dianetics belong to the Church of Scientology. Dianetics has never been recognized by the scientific community. Members of the ] community regard it as ] and some have claimed that its application is potentially harmful. | ||
| ===The beginnings of Scientology=== | |||
| ⚫ | In 1952, based partly on the resutls of many Dianetic sessions, Mr. Hubbard introduced Scientology. The stated goal of Scientology is to rehabilitate the spiritual nature of an individual including his abilities. By contrast, the goal of Dianetics is to rehabilitate the individual's ability's use of their memory. | ||
| In ] other books by Hubbard followed, addressing the subject of Dianetics: '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'', then in ], '']'' and in ] '']'' was published. | |||
| ⚫ | The Church of Scientology today, entrusted with Mr. Hubbard's Dianetics copyrights, regard the original Dianetics techniques as valid and view Dianetics as a basic tool of Scientology. As of 2001, the ] continued to run ] ] promoting ''Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health''. ], in 1991, reported that the Church asked its members to purchase large quantities of the book with their own money, or with money supplied by the Church, for the sole purpose of keeping the book on the ]. | ||
| Dianetics provided the seed from which the philosophical framework of ] grew. Scientologists refer to the book ''Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health'' as "Book One". Hubbard himself regarded its publication as such an important event that he created his own calendar based on the publication date of ''Dianetics'', dating his Scientology writings from that time. For instance, Hubbard uses "A.D. 13" to mean 1963 – literally "year 13 After Dianetics". | |||
| === A publication history of Dianetics === | |||
| ⚫ | In |
||
| <!-- How to add a footnote: | |||
| NOTE: Footnotes in this article use names, not numbers. Please see ] for details. | |||
| 1) Assign your footnote a unique name, for example TheSun_Dec9. | |||
| 2) Add the macro {{ref|TheSun_Dec9}} to the body of the article, where you want the new footnote. | |||
| 3) Take note of the name of the footnote that immediately precedes yours in the article body. | |||
| 4) Add #{{Note|TheSun_Dec9}} to the footnote numbered-list, immediately below the footnote you noted in step 3. No need to re-number anything! | |||
| 5) Multiple footnotes to the same reference: see ] for a how-to, if you don't succeed by simply following the pattern. | |||
| NOTE: It is important to add footnotes in the right order in the list! --> | |||
| ⚫ | * The Church of Scientology states Mr. Hubbard's first manuscript on his study of the mind, ''Excalibur'', was written in 1938. Though it was never published whole, the Church says most of it “has been released in HCOBs, PLs and books” (Hubbard Communication Office Bulletins, Policy Letters and books){{ref|HCOPL}}. | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | * Mr. Hubbard first published on the subject of the mind with the title, ''Terra Incognita: The Mind'', in a series of non-fiction articles in ] during the 1940s. | ||
| ⚫ | === |
||
| * In 1948 Mr. Hubbard wrote a thesis titled ''Abnormal Dianetics'' and offered to the medical and psychiatric professions and its ideas were rejected by both. However, it was accepted by the public at large and tens of thousands of copies were circulated around the world. Mostly this was done by the public copying it, retyping it with carbons and circulating it themselves. In December, 1951 this thesis was published as a hardbound book and titled, ''Dianetics, the Original Thesis'', Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 088404002X. Then in 1983 under the Church of Scientology it was republished with the title, ''The Dynamics of Life'', Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884043436{{ref|firstpage}}. | |||
| * Apr 1950 ''Dianetics: The Evolution of a Science'' published (as an article), published Sept 1955 (as a hardbound book) {{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 1403105448. | |||
| * May, 1950 Mr. Hubbard’s, ''Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health''. It remains a best seller nearly 50 years after its initial publication, a feat unparalleled in publishing history{{ref|page185}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044165. | |||
| * 1951 ''Notes on the Lectures of L. Ron Hubbard''{{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 088404422X. | |||
| * June 1951 ''Science of Survival: Simplified, Faster Dianetic Techniques'' published as a limited edition. Title changed to ''Science of Survival: Prediction of Human Behavior'' and published Aug 1951{{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications ISBN 0884044181. | |||
| * Aug 1951 ''Self Analysis''{{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044491. | |||
| * Oct 1951 ''The Dianetics Axioms'', later included in several other books including ''Advanced Procedure and Axioms''{{ref|Whatis3}}. | |||
| * 1951 ''Child Dianetics, Dianetic Processing for Children''{{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044211. | |||
| * Nov 1951 ''Advanced Procedure and Axioms''{{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 8773366048. | |||
| * Dec 1951 ''Handbook for Preclears''{{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044203. | |||
| * 1954 ''Dianetics 55!''{{ref|Whatis3}}. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044173. | |||
| #{{Note|HCOPL}} Hubbard Communication Office Policy Letter 26 April 1970R Revised 15 March 1975, sold at Churches of Scientology. | |||
| #{{Note|firstpage}} From the first page of the 1950's volume (18 volume set) of Hubbard Communication Office Technical Bulletins. | |||
| #{{Note|Whatis3}} The information comes from pages 894 to 908 of the hardbound book, ''What is Scientology'', copyright 1998, published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 1-57318-078-5 and available in some public libraries and in Churches of Scientology. | |||
| #{{Note|page185}} From ''What is Scientology'' (see Ref.3) pg. 185 | |||
| ⚫ | ===Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health=== | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| Dianetics was presented as a complete system of |
Dianetics was presented as a complete system of ]s in '']'' (abbriviated DMSMH, ISBN 1403105464), which detailed Hubbard's discoveries and techniques. The book was officially published ], ]. It caught the public imagination and became a nationwide ]. Due to the interest generated, a multitude of organizations were formed for the purpose of applying Dianetics techniques. Mr. Hubbard established a nationwide network of Dianetics Foundations, offering Dianetics training and processing for a fee. | ||
| In the book, Hubbard |
In the book, Hubbard introduced a workable theory of the human mind. He states the single source of all human aberration is engrams, which taken collectively together, he calls the reactive mind. He developed counseling (]) techniques for clearing the unconsciousness from engrams. By his theory, engrams become memories, the same sorts of memory as any other. This is still the technique used by Dianetics counselors today. | ||
| L. Ron Hubbard stated: | L. Ron Hubbard stated: | ||
| Line 28: | Line 68: | ||
| :''Acknowledgment is made to fifty thousand years of thinking men without whose speculations and observations the creation and construction of Dianetics would not have been possible. Credit in particular is due to: | :''Acknowledgment is made to fifty thousand years of thinking men without whose speculations and observations the creation and construction of Dianetics would not have been possible. Credit in particular is due to: | ||
| :''], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], |
:''], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], Commander Joseph Thompson (MC) USN, ], ], ], Count ], and my instructors in atomic and molecular phenomena, mathematics and the humanities at ] and at Princeton. | ||
| ====controversy==== | |||
| There are various schools of thought regarding the ] on post-] editions of ''Dianetics.'' One conjecture is that it is a reference to the story of ] and another being that this image was used |
There are various schools of thought regarding the ] on post-] editions of ''Dianetics.'' One conjecture is that it is a reference to the story of ] and another being that this image was used because volcanos are referenced in Hubbard's book "Scientology: A History of Man" written in 1952. Yet another is that it was used, as according to Hubbard, ''"Man responds to an exploding volcano."'' ("Assists", lecture of ] ]) | ||
| == Historical Controversy == | |||
| === History === | |||
| ⚫ | The Church of Scientology |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| In ] Hubbard wrote a thesis later published as '']'' that summarized his research and delineated the principles he discovered. He continued to further develop and test a new technology of the mind, which he called "Dianetics." | |||
| After initially promoting the techniques as a system for curing some forms of ] and ], Dianetics advocates later disclaimed any therapeutic benefits in order to avoid regulation. | After initially promoting the techniques as a system for curing some forms of ] and ], Dianetics advocates later disclaimed any therapeutic benefits in order to avoid regulation. | ||
| Line 68: | Line 103: | ||
| ], a former Scientologist, developed in 1984 a method called ], which is a minor but accepted ] for eliminating negative effects of past traumatic incidents. Unlike Dianetics, TIR has demonstrated results in independent scientific studies. | ], a former Scientologist, developed in 1984 a method called ], which is a minor but accepted ] for eliminating negative effects of past traumatic incidents. Unlike Dianetics, TIR has demonstrated results in independent scientific studies. | ||
| == External Links (official site) == | |||
| == References == | |||
| ⚫ | * | ||
| == External Links - Controversy == | |||
| * Carroll, Robert T: 'Dianetics', Skepdics Dictionary | * Carroll, Robert T: 'Dianetics', Skepdics Dictionary | ||
| Line 80: | Line 119: | ||
| * Winter, J.A.: A Doctor's Report on DIANETICS Theory and Therapy, 1951 | * Winter, J.A.: A Doctor's Report on DIANETICS Theory and Therapy, 1951 | ||
| ==External links== | |||
| ⚫ | * | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 00:33, 25 December 2005
Dianetics is a word combined from the Greek words dia (through) and nous (soul) or through soul. Author L. Ron Hubbard introduced the word and the subject in the late 1940s. In a lecture in 1951 Mr. Hubbard read a dictionary supplement defining Dianetics as: "A system for the analysis, control and development of human thought evolved from a set of coordinated axioms which also provide techniiques for the treatment of a wide range of mental disorders and organic diseases."
Clear
The end goal of Dianetics in 1950 was a person that could be tested for any and all neuroses, psychoses, compulsions, repressions, all mental aberrations, and all psychosomatic ills and be found to be free of such things. Tests could be run before and after Dianetics to prove this state was achieved by Dianetics. This is a clear. Clears were found to have intelligence high above the current norm and to pursue life with vigor and satisfaction. His emotions could be seen to be fluid, no longer fixed. He was his basic self or basic personality and very unique. He had all the information of his experience available to him fully.
Dianetics and Scientology
The copyrights and trademarks of Dianetics belong to the Church of Scientology. Dianetics has never been recognized by the scientific community. Members of the psychiatric community regard it as pseudoscience and some have claimed that its application is potentially harmful.
In 1952, based partly on the resutls of many Dianetic sessions, Mr. Hubbard introduced Scientology. The stated goal of Scientology is to rehabilitate the spiritual nature of an individual including his abilities. By contrast, the goal of Dianetics is to rehabilitate the individual's ability's use of their memory.
The Church of Scientology today, entrusted with Mr. Hubbard's Dianetics copyrights, regard the original Dianetics techniques as valid and view Dianetics as a basic tool of Scientology. As of 2001, the Church of Scientology continued to run television advertisements promoting Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Time Magazine, in 1991, reported that the Church asked its members to purchase large quantities of the book with their own money, or with money supplied by the Church, for the sole purpose of keeping the book on the New York Times bestseller list.
A publication history of Dianetics
- The Church of Scientology states Mr. Hubbard's first manuscript on his study of the mind, Excalibur, was written in 1938. Though it was never published whole, the Church says most of it “has been released in HCOBs, PLs and books” (Hubbard Communication Office Bulletins, Policy Letters and books).
- Mr. Hubbard first published on the subject of the mind with the title, Terra Incognita: The Mind, in a series of non-fiction articles in Astounding Science Fiction magazine during the 1940s.
- In 1948 Mr. Hubbard wrote a thesis titled Abnormal Dianetics and offered to the medical and psychiatric professions and its ideas were rejected by both. However, it was accepted by the public at large and tens of thousands of copies were circulated around the world. Mostly this was done by the public copying it, retyping it with carbons and circulating it themselves. In December, 1951 this thesis was published as a hardbound book and titled, Dianetics, the Original Thesis, Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 088404002X. Then in 1983 under the Church of Scientology it was republished with the title, The Dynamics of Life, Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884043436.
- Apr 1950 Dianetics: The Evolution of a Science published (as an article), published Sept 1955 (as a hardbound book) . Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 1403105448.
- May, 1950 Mr. Hubbard’s, Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health. It remains a best seller nearly 50 years after its initial publication, a feat unparalleled in publishing history. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044165.
- 1951 Notes on the Lectures of L. Ron Hubbard. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 088404422X.
- June 1951 Science of Survival: Simplified, Faster Dianetic Techniques published as a limited edition. Title changed to Science of Survival: Prediction of Human Behavior and published Aug 1951. Last published by Bridge Publications ISBN 0884044181.
- Aug 1951 Self Analysis. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044491.
- Oct 1951 The Dianetics Axioms, later included in several other books including Advanced Procedure and Axioms.
- 1951 Child Dianetics, Dianetic Processing for Children. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044211.
- Nov 1951 Advanced Procedure and Axioms. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 8773366048.
- Dec 1951 Handbook for Preclears. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044203.
- 1954 Dianetics 55!. Last published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 0884044173.
- Hubbard Communication Office Policy Letter 26 April 1970R Revised 15 March 1975, sold at Churches of Scientology.
- From the first page of the 1950's volume (18 volume set) of Hubbard Communication Office Technical Bulletins.
- The information comes from pages 894 to 908 of the hardbound book, What is Scientology, copyright 1998, published by Bridge Publications, ISBN 1-57318-078-5 and available in some public libraries and in Churches of Scientology.
- From What is Scientology (see Ref.3) pg. 185
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
Dianetics was presented as a complete system of self-improvement techniques in Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (abbriviated DMSMH, ISBN 1403105464), which detailed Hubbard's discoveries and techniques. The book was officially published May 9, 1950. It caught the public imagination and became a nationwide best-seller. Due to the interest generated, a multitude of organizations were formed for the purpose of applying Dianetics techniques. Mr. Hubbard established a nationwide network of Dianetics Foundations, offering Dianetics training and processing for a fee.
In the book, Hubbard introduced a workable theory of the human mind. He states the single source of all human aberration is engrams, which taken collectively together, he calls the reactive mind. He developed counseling (auditing) techniques for clearing the unconsciousness from engrams. By his theory, engrams become memories, the same sorts of memory as any other. This is still the technique used by Dianetics counselors today.
L. Ron Hubbard stated:
- Acknowledgment is made to fifty thousand years of thinking men without whose speculations and observations the creation and construction of Dianetics would not have been possible. Credit in particular is due to:
- Anaxagoras, Thomas Paine, Aristotle, Thomas Jefferson, Socrates, René Descartes, Plato, James Clerk Maxwell, Euclid, Charcot, Lucretius, Herbert Spencer, Roger Bacon, William James, Francis Bacon, Sigmund Freud, Isaac Newton, van Leeuwenhoek, Commander Joseph Thompson (MC) USN, William A. White, Voltaire, Will Durant, Count Alfred Korzybski, and my instructors in atomic and molecular phenomena, mathematics and the humanities at George Washington University and at Princeton.
controversy
There are various schools of thought regarding the volcano on post-1968 editions of Dianetics. One conjecture is that it is a reference to the story of Xenu and another being that this image was used because volcanos are referenced in Hubbard's book "Scientology: A History of Man" written in 1952. Yet another is that it was used, as according to Hubbard, "Man responds to an exploding volcano." ("Assists", lecture of 3 October 1968)
Historical Controversy
After initially promoting the techniques as a system for curing some forms of mental and psychosomatic illness, Dianetics advocates later disclaimed any therapeutic benefits in order to avoid regulation.
Independent scientific views
There are only two known independent scientific studies on Dianetics:
- Harvey Jay Fisher tested Dianetics therapy against three claims made by proponents and found it does not effect any significant changes on intellectual functioning, mathematical ability, or upon the degree of personality conflicts. (Fisher, 1953).
- Jack Fox tested Hubbard's thesis regarding recall of engrams and could not substantiate it (Fox, 1959).
Apart from studies, there have been several evaluations of Dianetics written by scientists and academics from various fields:
Professor S. I. Hayakawa, in one of the first published reviews of Dianetics, wrote a blistering attack in 1951. He said that Hubbard had gone from science-fiction to "fiction-science."
Martin Gardner discussed Dianetics in his controversial 1957 book on pseudoscience, Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science.
J.A. Winter, M.D., originally an associate of Hubbard and an early adopter of Dianetics, gives an account of his personal positive experiences but has no scientific substantiation to offer:
- "Several copies were made of the manual which Hubbard had sent: two of them were sent to colleagues of mine in Chicago. Both of them expressed interest in the ingenuity of the ideas, but they were strongly skeptical of the efficacy of the method. I concluded from their comments that neither of them planned to make any further investigation."
- "By October, 1950, I had come to the conclusion that I could not agree with all the tenets of dianetics as set forth by the Foundation. I could not, as previously mentioned, support Hubbard's claims regarding the state of "clear." I no longer felt, as I once had, that any intelligent person could (and presumably should) practice dianetics. ... Moreover, there was a poorly concealed attitude of disparagement of the medical profession and of the efforts of previous workers in the field of mental illness. Finally, the avowed purpose of the Foundation -- the accomplishment of precise scientific research into the functioning of the mind -- was conspicuously absent." (Winter, 1950)
Professor John A. Lee states in his evaluation of Dianetics (Lee, 1970):
- "Objective experimental verification of Hubbard's physiological and psychological doctrines is lacking. To date, no regular scientific agency has established the validity of his theories of prenatal perception and engrams, or cellular memory, or Dianetic reverie, or the effects of Scientology auditing routines. Existing knowledge contradicts Hubbard's theory of recording of perceptions during periods of unconsciousness."
Philosophy professor Robert Carroll article on Dianetics gives a rather scathing critique of Hubbards claims to scientific work, calls Dianetics a pseudoscience and concludes:
- "What Hubbard touts as a science of mind lacks one key element that is expected of a science: empirical testing of claims. The key elements of Hubbard's so-called science don't seem testable, yet he repeatedly claims that he is asserting only scientific facts and data from many experiments. It isn't even clear what such "data" would look like. Most of his data is in the form of anecdotes and speculations ... Such speculation is appropriate in fiction, but not in science."
Frank A. Gerbode, a former Scientologist, developed in 1984 a method called Traumatic Incident Reduction, which is a minor but accepted psychotherapy for eliminating negative effects of past traumatic incidents. Unlike Dianetics, TIR has demonstrated results in independent scientific studies.
External Links (official site)
External Links - Controversy
- Carroll, Robert T: 'Dianetics', Skepdics Dictionary
- Fisher, Harvey Jay: Dianetic Therapy: an Experimental Evaluation, 1953
- Fox, Jack et al. An Experimental Investigation of Hubbard's Engram Hypothesis (Dianetics) in Psychological Newsletter, 1959, 10 131-134
Freeman, Lucy: "Psychologists act against Dianetics", New York Times, September 9, 1950
- Hayakawa, S. I.: "From Science-Fiction to Fiction-Science," in ETC: A Review of General Semantics, Vol. VIII, No. 4. Summer, 1951
- Gardner, Martin: "Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science, 1957, Chapter 22, Dianetics
- Lee, John A.: Sectarian Healers and Hypnotherapy, 1970, Ontario Excerpt
- Gerbode, Frank A.: Critical Issues in Trauma Resolution
- Winter, J.A.: A Doctor's Report on DIANETICS Theory and Therapy, 1951