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Reference: A Critique of Scientology Philosophy

This essay is a commentary on the contents of the section THE BEINGNESS OF MAN from the book Scientology 8-8008. Hubbard’s words are quoted in bold italics.

“Any study of knowledge could not but be intimately connected with the beingness of Man and the earliest axioms of Scientology began to predict and the later developments eventually discovered the highest level data so far obtained on the identity and capability of life… The basic goal of Man which embraces all his activities is apparently survival. Survival might be defined as an impulse to persist through time, in space, as matter and energy.”

Man is part of the universe. Therefore, when it comes to axioms, it is logical to start from the broad reality of the universe.

The universe is simply there. Man is the most evolved aspect of the universe. Therefore, the survival of Man depends on its harmony with the universe.

This universe is a universe of change. Nothing in this universe survives forever. The forms perish, and so do the viewpoints. There is no aspect of Man that survives forever. The only thing that may survive forever is the universe from which Man may evolve again and again.

The study of knowledge is intinately connected with the beingness of Man, but that must acknowledge the context of the overall universe.

It is a weak philosophy that puts the survival of Man in conflict with the survival of the universe from which Man has evolved. This is the case with Scientology.

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“The impulse to survival is found to contain eight sub-impulses. These are, first, the urge to survive as self; second, the urge to survive through sex in the procreation of children; third, the impulse to survive as a group; fourth, the impulse to survive as mankind itself; fifth, the urge to survive as animal life; sixth, the impulse to survive as the material universe of matter, energy, space and time; seventh, the impulse to survive as a spirit; and eighth, the impulse to survive as what may be called Supreme Being.

These categories are helpful, but Scientology references them from self. Instead, they should be referenced from the universe.

The Eighth Dynamic is the universe, which presents the complete spectrum of reality. The seventh dynamic is the spiritual aspect of reality, which is a spectrum of awareness. The sixth dynamic is the physical aspect of reality, which is a spectrum of motion. The Fifth dynamic is life, which is association of awareness and motion. The Fourth dynamic is mankind, which is the most evolved state of life. The Third Dynamic relates to the races, cultures and political groups within mankind. The Second Dynamic relates to the continuation of mankind through reproduction and rearing of children. The First Dynamic is the individual, which is the problem-solving unit of mankind.

The categories known as dynamics make more sense when referenced from universe rather than from self.

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“The above sub-impulses are called dynamics; combined, they form the overall urge towards survival, but each one of itself plays its important role, both in the individual and in the wider sphere named as a part of each impulse. Thus we see the inter-dependency of the individual with the family, with the group, with the species, with life-forms, with the material universe itself, with spirits, and with God; and we see the dependency of each one of these entities upon the individual as a part of it.”

The survival of the overall universe is assured, and so are the dynamics. There should not be any anxiety about survival. These dynamics help us understand the harmony within the universe. Maximum harmony among all dynamics shall represent maximum survival.

When we look from the viewpoint of second dynamic, it is inclusive of first dynamic. We are able to see more clearly what first dynamics are like through their interactions in second dynamic. The viewpoint on second dynamic is broader than the viewpoint on first dynamic.

Similarly, when we look from the viewpoint of third dynamic, it is inclusive of second and first dynamics. We are able to see more clearly what second dynamics are like through their interactions in third dynamic. The viewpoint on third dynamic is broader than the viewpoints on first and second dynamics.

And so it goes. The higher is the dynamic one is operating on, the broader is the viewpoint. The beingness of Man expands to all eight dynamics. A person operating on eighth dynamic has the most objective and sane viewpoint.

The beingness of Man is best understood from the objective viewpoint of the universe.

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