From International Viewpoints (IVy) Issue 5 - March 1992
A New Epistemology
(Epistemology: the part of philosophy that deals with the origin,
nature and limits of knowledge. World Book Dictionary, 1979. Ayn
Rand's definition is: "cognition as a subject of study").
by Peter Shepherd U.K. (Chairman of Mental Development Ltd. UK).
Readers of "International Viewpoints" will probably be aware of Irene
Mumford's advanced-levels case handling procedure, Dianasis. I would
like to describe the philosophical basis of the system of Mental
Development which her son, Gregory Mitchell has been delivering for
over twenty years. Mental Development Ltd has now taken on the
management of Dianasis, which becomes an advanced self-analysis
technique for suitably prepared Mental Development students who have
not previously had contact with scientology, as well as for free
scientologists who have attained a stable case state equivalent to the
scientology 'clear'. Mental Development provides case handling and
solo auditor training as required to set up for Dianasis.
Mental Development takes the view that as a human being, one needs a
philosophy - an integrated view of existence. In order to progress
from a stimulus response 'concrete' mode of operation to a mature
conceptual understanding of life, it is necessary to integrate
observations, experiences and knowledge into abstract ideas, i.e. into
principles.
The useful function of the unconscious mind is the further integration
of conscious principles with the data base of memory files and
programmed (genetically and by suggestion from parents and culture)
fundamental drives. It functions like a computer with the conscious
mind programming it. It's 'print out' is in the form of emotions -
which are estimates of the outside world calculated according to inner
values
Self-determinded emotion
But if firm, rational convictions have not been reached the
unconscious is programmed by chance, it's left to run amok, and its
output will have a corresponding character. 'Garbage in, garbage out'
is the harsh formula applying to the relationship between a man's
thinking and his emotions.
On the basis of a knowable universe and of a rational facility to
grasp it, a man can define proper ethics, politics and aesthetics -
based not on neurotic compulsions but on creative freedom of choice,
not on envy but on self esteem and will for justice.
Level 2
Being in good communication, in order to confront, understand and
handle reality as-it-is, therefore becomes the first priority and work
in Mental Development begins here, on 'Level 2'. (Level 1' - the
trauma and unfinished business of childhood - only needs to be engaged
in if it obstructs progress and for this a range of "Five Minute
Analyst" techniques are used if it becomes necessary, to get a student
over the restimulation and back into present time reality. This
Analyst is available at all times on the course, supplementing the
Instructor, so an individual student's problems can be dealt with -
usually by two-way comm and word-clearing, or if necessary flying
rudiments or traumatic incident reduction. If further handling is
needed the student is referred for full analysis of the problem, but
usually just five minutes is enough, hence the name. Emphasis is on
development, not therapy. since the mental techniques taught have the
power to break down the barriers caused by trauma). The course is held
on one evening each week but the student is expected to study the
written materials at home during the week (using study tech) so course
time can be devoted to checkouts and practical excercises. These
centre around training on the communication cycle with special skills
of questioning, listening and concentration. There is a trickle entry
(As opposed to all students starting the same evening). so students
can progress at their own pace (twinned with another of similar
capability) - the course normally takes 12 to 20 weeks.
What objectivity requires is an active mind, capable of assuming the
responsibility of judgement, to discern truth from falsehood and reach
firm conclusions, at the same time being prepared to adjust the
calculation should new evidence become available.
Level 3
Having learnt on Level 2 to examine extrospectively - "What do I
know?" and "How do I know it?", the field of introspection may be
safely entered. On Level 3 inner space becomes objectively understood
and mastered. Techniques serve to integrate the whole brain - the
student gains improved access to the right hemisphere parallel or
synthetic processing (e.g. in recognising a face - taking a large
number of elements and instantly synthesising them into a whole).
(Readers are referred to IVy 3 page 26 to 29, Gregory Mitchells
article "The Duality of Brain Functioning: The two Hemispheres").
Mnemonic techniques for increasing memory are taught - these make full
use of the imaging capability of the right brain and the natural
associative properties of human memory. This enhances his symbol space
of working memory and better strategies for thinking, calculation, and
reasoning are internalised. By reducing left hemispheric dominance and
becoming used to accessing right-hemisphere faculties as an intrinsic
part of thinking, the tendency is reduced of repressing
'uncomfortable' material into the right brain and shutting off access.
The introspective questions of "What do I feel?" and "Why do I feel
it?" can now be answered objectively.
Ayn Rand, one of the root sources of Mental Development, writes:
"Without a ruthlessly honest commitment to introspection, you will not
discover what you feel, what arouses the feeling and whether your
feeling is an appropriate response to the facts of reality, or a
mistaken response, or a vicious illusion produced by years of self
deception. The men who scorn introspection take their inner states for
granted and let emotions determine their actions - they spend their
lives struggling with incomprehensible inner conflicts, alternately
repressing their emotions and indulging in emotional fits, regretting
it, losing control again, rebelling against the mystery of their inner
chaos, trying to unravel it, giving up, deciding to feel nothing - and
feeling the growing pressure of fear, guilt and self doubt! (Ayn Rand
"Philosophy - Who Needs It", (Signet) 1974 (Pages 17-18)).
The one-to-one analysis which accompanies level 3 (to achieve the
Stable state necessary to be able to take responsibility for one's own
case resolution on Dianasis) further assists the student to come to
terms with his rationalisations. Again in Ayn Rand's words:
"Rationalisation is a cover up, a process of providing one's emotions
with a false identity, of giving them spurious explanations and
justifications - in order to hide one's motives, not just from others
but primarily from oneself. The price of rationalising is the
distortion of one's cognitive faculty - instead of perceiving reality,
reality is made to fit one's emotions." (Ayn Rand "Philosophy - Who
Needs It", (Signet) 1974).
The Hologram Hypothesis
A hologram is a three dimensional image made with the aid of a laser,
a source of coherent light waves. To produce a hologram a single laser
light is split into two seperate beams. The first beam is bounced off
the object to be photographed; the second collides at the film plane
with the reflected light of the first, producing an interference
pattern, recorded on film. As soon as a light is shined on the
developed film, a three dimensional image of the original object
appears. Unlike normal photographs, every small fragment of a piece of
holographic film contains all the information recorded in the whole.
Holgrams contain a fantasic capability for information storage. By
changing the angleat which the laser beam strikes the film, or the
beams wavelength, it is possible to record many different images on
the same surface. A one inch square of film can store the same amount
of information as contained in fifty large dictionaries.
A great deal of evidence indicates that memory, perception and the
mind generally may be based on holographic principles, explaining the
virtually unlimited potential of brain functions. Further, there is
evidence to suggest that our world and everything in it are in
actuality holographic images, projections from a level of existence
literally beyond space and time - the static world of Theta in
scientology terms. MEST is seen as solidified Theta, in other words
Theta is the implicit underlying frequency realm (equivalent to the
laser waves) with Static as the source. Put another way, there is no
reality above and beyond that created by the integration of all
consciousnesses, and the holographic universe can potentially be
sculpted in virtually limitless ways by the mind.
The main architects of this astonishing idea are two of the world's
most eminent thinkers: University of London physicist David Bohm, a
protege of Einsteins and one of the most respected quantum physicists,
and Karl Pribram, author of the classic neuropsychological textbook
"Language of the Brain". There is a need for a natural philosphy that
goes further than physics alone can go, but remains in harmony with
it. Living organisms and conscious minds must be included within it
along with the particles and fields of physics. David Bohm has
developed such a philosophy based on the concept of undivided
wholeness implicit in relativity, Quantum physics and holograms. Karl
Pribram discovered how the memory works on holographic principles,
with the brain a processor of holographic information to resynthesise
images in inner space. Further biochemist Rupert Sheldrake has
extended the hypothesis to the role of animating matter and providing
an understanding of evolution and the nature of a 'living planet'.
The holographic model provides an hypothesis to explain the connection
between the material mind, it's spiritual analog and dimensions beyond
time and space - the underlying frequency realm of the hologram. It
makes sense of the entire range of spiritual and psychic phenomena. It
validates the Axioms which Hubbard introduced at about the time Bohm
laid out his ideas in "Wholeness and the Implicate Order", which shows
how ahead of his time Hubbard was, for these theroies are still not
accepted by authorities who have a vested interest in maintaining a
materialistic world view.
No-mind
This data should have spin-offs for case-handling and a firm
theoretical grounding will clear metaphysics of mysticism and
demonstrate the seniority of concepts and considerations in the actual
universe. The case relating to the composite (spirit-mind-body) is
resolved on the upper parts of Dianasis (an eight part rundown).
Similarly, the 'case' relating to the functioning and programming of
the brain is resolved on advanced Mental Development levels by
speeding up verbal and arithmetic functions to the point where
integrated functioning is necessary and the brain literally
reprogrammes itself to operate with parallel simultaneous pathways of
thought. The spirit considers and conceptualises without the need for
language; similarly the highest realm of brain functioning is an
intuitive, non-verbalising Zen-state of 'no-mind'. The brain as a
barrier to spiritual awareness in Present Time is thus broken down. It
is expected that further research and integration of these two
technologies will eventually demonstrate this crucial metaphysical
paradigm and bring it into the objective sphere - that of operating
Thetan, in and out of the physical universe.
Bibliography
(Ayn Rand "Philosophy - Who Needs It", (Signet) 1974
Peter Russell "The Brain Book" (RKP) 1979 Good Introduction to Mental
Development.
Michael Talbot "The Holographic Universe" (Grafton) 1991. Good
introduction to holographics.
Four more mind-expanding books:
Karl Pribram "Language of the Brain" (Wadsworth) 1977
David Bohm "Wholeness and the Implicate Order" (RKP) 1980
Rupert Sheldrake "The Presence of the Past" (Fontana) 1989
Itzhak Benthof "Stalking the Wild Pendulum" (Wildwood) 1977