Reference: A Critique of Scientology Philosophy
The following is a quote from introduction to The Dianetic Axioms:
“L. Ron Hubbard found that man is obeying very, very definite laws and rules which could be set forward in axioms. The very first and most fundamental of these is: The dynamic principle of existence is survive. That is the basic axiom of Dianetics.”
The scientific observations show that the dynamic principle of this universe could be considered as “change”, because everything in this universe is in motion (always changing). It is theorized that motion may come to rest at the temperature of absolute zero. But the universe is not at a temperature of absolute zero. As far as, science is concerned, everything in this universe is continually changing at all levels.
However, the natural tendency of motion seems to attain some kind of equilibrium. It is like bodies at different temperatures, when brought in contact, tend towards a single equilibrium temperature. But the “equilibrium” in case of the universe seems to be returning to continuity, harmony and consistency after being disturbed. This is explained in greater details in the essay, Self-Determinism and Laws of the Universe.
So, from a broad scientific viewpoint, the dynamic principle of this universe seems to be “change toward greater continuity, harmony and consistency after being disturbed.”
The word “survive” is used broadly to mean “to remain or continue in existence or use”, as in the sentence, “Ancient farming methods still survive in the Middle East.” Or, in the sentence. “Few survived after the holocaust.” But to regard “survive” as a dynamic principle of existence, would mean “there is a state that continues as it is throughout all changes unconditionally”. This is not so in reality.
In Dianetics, the human soul or beingness is assumed to “survive” unconditionally. This is an idea borrowed from Christianity where human soul is thought to be immortal. That is a subjective consideration, and not a dynamic principle of existence. Thus, Hubbard is considering “survive” from a limited human-centric viewpoint and not from a universal viewpoint.
It would be an error to consider “survive” as a scientific principle applying to all existence as it is subjective and vague.
Scientifically, the dynamic principle of existence is CHANGE toward greater continuity, harmony and consistency as the universe evolves.
Applying this scientific principle to Dianetics may bring about some interesting understanding about the condition of Man.
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Comments
How does a person on the street look at the statement, “The dynamic principle of existence is survive”? He wants to survive. That means he wants his self to survive. This is the desire that leads to the idea of eternal soul in Christianity or in Semitic religions in general. We are talking about something ancient here and not “early Dianetics”. This desire has nothing to do with past lives. Christianity does not believe in past lives but it believes in an eternal soul.
So Dianetics is pumping up that human subjective desire by declaring, “The dynamic principle of existence is survive,” and calling it a “scientific principle”. This is not a scientific principle by any means.
How do we know that any life organism is goaded by survival? It could simply be following the course of nature without thinking about survival. They don’t think as human do. Hubbard is simply projecting human desire on other life organisms.
The common denominator of the laws of the universe is continuity, harmony and consistency, as derived from the logic given in “Self-Determinism and Laws of the Universe”.
Everything in this universe is trying to align reality to attain continuity, harmony and consistency. This is natural and scientific. It may only appear that a life organism is trying to survive.
What may appear as “survival” goes much deeper as the natural tendency to align reality by trying to make it continuous, harmonious and consistent.
So, the goal of a life organism seems “optimum alignment of reality” rather than “survival”. The life organism undergoes changes until this goal of optimum alignment is achieved, and then it maintains this goal by changing as required.
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This is a universe that operates on precise laws. These laws are both physical and metaphysical.
The universe is evolving through all the randomity we see, and it is evolving based on very precise laws. Many of these laws still need to be discovered.
Just because there is randomity in this universe, it doesn’t mean that the laws of this universe are not precise.
The objects and organism in this universe are following their nature that are based on universal laws. They don’t have the concept of survival.
Survival is a human concept. It is just the observation that forms continue for a while. Nothing more needs to be implied. It becomes a filter when human give intentions to objects and organisms that they are trying to survive.
There is no dynamic principle of existence that things are trying to survive. That is a vague generality.
Scientifically, the dynamic principle of existence is CHANGE toward greater continuity, harmony and consistency as the universe evolves.
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The goal is to bring order into disorder and not to let the disorder reign as some people seem to think.
The basic engram is the fixed postulate. The nature of such postulate is that it was constructed to explain the limited context of “self”. This postulate can be seen as arbitray within a universal context because it does not follow continuity, harmony and consistency in that context.
ARBITRARY = No continuity, harmony or consistency with surrounding reality.
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Seems as though this discussion is outside of Hubbard’s specific definition of survival. He clearly rejects the definition used here.
His definition is that of an inherent urge toward pleasure and away from suffering. “Survival” is specifically an “abundance” of pleasure.
Very much an Epicurean definition of the pursuit of happiness as claimed to be one of Humanity’s inalienable rights by tho Jefferson.
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