General Semantics Seminar 1937: Olivet College Lectures

Rating:
Summary: Infinite-valued General Semantics.
Review: Alfred Korzybski had intended to write a treatise specifically on General Semantics. However establishing the institute of General Semantics, functioning as director, giving endless lectures, etc., he just simply ran out of life-time. Therefore these lecture notes transcribed by Keith Ball, then a student of History at Olivet college, presents us with a valuable glimpse of what Korzybski knew.
Semantics comes from the Greek word semainein, introduced by Michel Breal(1897) for significance, value, meaning. However General Semantics goes beyond semantics(linguistical meaning of terms) replacing Aristotle's(c.350B.C.)'elementalistic logic', representing a Science of values, hence evaluation.
'Aristotelian logic' involves a 'two-valued''deductive''reasoning', hence reversed order of evaluation based on 'a priori''universal-innate' knowledge('reason' without recourse to evidence). Of which our education system, parents, society, etc., enculturates us as a neuro-semantic environment(verbal, non-verbal meaning), creating neurological deterioration. Since our intensional('general-universal' definitions) language as a neuro-linguistic environment(verbal meanings), forces facts to fit 'universals', 'elementalizing' our semantic reactions(feeling-thinking-action(s)-about-event(s)) affecting our perception through the 'filtering' of facts. Such that we assume('hypothesize') that what we have 'is all, same, absolute, symmetrical, linear, certain', etc., failing to test this against actualities. Indeed this involves an 'association-habitual-unconscious-conditionality' where 'aristotelian logic' leads to 'aristotelian automatic reactions', thalamic without integrating our cortex, instead filled with false knowledge.
Since Korzybski argues we must orientate to facts by not ignoring the event(s), then our process of evaluation must involve an a posteriori, natural observation-inductive(empirical) order: a non-elementalistic(interchangeable, equivalent, reversible, etc., functional[non-linear-asymmetry-non-additive] packets, etc., emergent, holism) event(s)-insight-logic. Tuning into the similarity-differences in our consciousness of abstracting(representations), the avoidance of the confusion of the orders of abstractions termed 'identifications'(treating abstractions, anything, etc., as the 'same', by ignoring['filtering' out] of facts) as a result of 'aristotelian-conditionality'. Even Immanuel Kant's(1787) 'synthetic a priori' truths involve the false-to-facts generation of 'universals' which ignore actualities, for example the multi-exceptions. The difference involves a delay in reactions, such that our cortex may function, allowing our nervous-system-to-work-as-a-whole as a properly ordered process. Here time-binding(capacity to improve on the accumulated abstractions of others, then transmitting it for future generations) comes in, where accumulating 'racial experience' called Science in human life, becomes in the main more important than personal individual 'opinions'('prejudices').
Korzybski found that the most reliable descriptions get made with physico-mathematical languages, since they appear closest to facts; whereas inferences, abstractions of higher order, become less reliable because they go further away from facts. In other words we must construct a language, similar in structure(having multi-dimensional order of relations) to the actualities, otherwise having an infinite-valued uncertain maximum probability of predictability. This then involves an extensional orientation to the non-verbal levels, employing multi-ordinal(order of values in a continuum) terms having different meanings contextually(dependent upon abstraction level), founded upon our non-definable, non-verbal representations.
As such Science suggests an ordering of evaluation involving:
(1). Physico-chemical, electronic process, representing the external dynamic process(noumena), more important than; the following electro-colloidal(after Thomas Graham(1861) atoms, molecules, etc., functioning as interchangeable bi-polar dispersions) processes, the basis of Psycho-logical levels of meaning(phenomena):
(2). The object, a nervous non-verbal abstraction in the brain, more important than;
(3). The descriptive-observation, a verbal level more important-reliable than;
(4). Inferences of higher order, a verbal level more important-reliable than;
(5). Inferences of higher order, etc., etc.
The key to consciousness of abstractions remains the Non-Aristotelian(Korzybski's(1933) fact orientated revision of Aristotle's(c.350B.C.) paradigm) premises introduced in "Science And Sanity". Since a language(using the analogy of maps) must become similar in structure to actualities then:
(1). "Map is not territory"- an abstraction, anything, etc., is not the 'same'.
(2). "Map is not all of the territory"- cannot have 'all' abstractions, anything, etc.
(3). "Map is self-reflexive"- an abstraction, anything, etc., has context.
Korzybski further introduces extensional devices to facilitate consciousness of abstractions:
(1). Indexes: mathematically expressing similarity-differences, for example Smith 1, Smith 2, etc.
(2). Dates: reminding us that changes occur over a period, for example Science 1933.
(3). Quotes: taking care by placing single quotes around false-to-facts terms.
(4). Hyphens: connecting non-elementalistic terms.
(5). Etc: taking into account non-allness.
Therefore General Semantics offers a theory of evaluation which has an equivalence to a theory of sanity(Psycho-logics), thus happiness. Such that insanity appears as maladjustment to 'reality',hence facts. Since the old 'aristotelian certainty and security' went with 'intensional' too much expectation- 'identification(s)', leads to a big let down- trauma. Which Douglas M.Kelley used successfully in the European theatre of World War II on soldiers with psycho-neurotic 'reaction' patterns, which for the most part had developed under combat stress. Reported in a paper "The Use Of General Semantics And Korzybskian Principles As An Extensional Method Of Group Psychotherapy In Traumatic Neuroses", in "The Journal Of Nervous And Mental Disease", September 1951.

Rating:
Summary: Infinite-valued General Semantics.
Review: Alfred Korzybski had intended to write a treatise specifically on General Semantics. However establishing the institute of General Semantics, functioning as director, giving endless lectures, etc., he just simply ran out of life-time. Therefore these lecture notes transcribed by Keith Ball, then a student of History at Olivet college, presents us with a valuable glimpse of what Korzybski knew.
Semantics comes from the Greek word semainein, introduced by Michel Breal(1897) for significance, value, meaning. However General Semantics goes beyond semantics(linguistical meaning of terms) replacing Aristotle's(c.350B.C.)'elementalistic logic', representing a Science of values, hence evaluation.
'Aristotelian logic' involves a 'two-valued''deductive''reasoning', hence reversed order of evaluation based on 'a priori''universal-innate' knowledge('reason' without recourse to evidence). Of which our education system, parents, society, etc., enculturates us as a neuro-semantic environment(verbal, non-verbal meaning), creating neurological deterioration. Since our intensional('general-universal' definitions) language as a neuro-linguistic environment(verbal meanings), forces facts to fit 'universals', 'elementalizing' our semantic reactions(feeling-thinking-action(s)-about-event(s)) affecting our perception through the 'filtering' of facts. Such that we assume('hypothesize') that what we have 'is all, same, absolute, symmetrical, linear, certain', etc., failing to test this against actualities. Indeed this involves an 'association-habitual-unconscious-conditionality' where 'aristotelian logic' leads to 'aristotelian automatic reactions', thalamic without integrating our cortex, instead filled with false knowledge.
Since Korzybski argues we must orientate to facts by not ignoring the event(s), then our process of evaluation must involve an a posteriori, natural observation-inductive(empirical) order: a non-elementalistic(interchangeable, equivalent, reversible, etc., functional[non-linear-asymmetry-non-additive] packets, etc., emergent, holism) event(s)-insight-logic. Tuning into the similarity-differences in our consciousness of abstracting(representations), the avoidance of the confusion of the orders of abstractions termed 'identifications'(treating abstractions, anything, etc., as the 'same', by ignoring['filtering' out] of facts) as a result of 'aristotelian-conditionality'. Even Immanuel Kant's(1787) 'synthetic a priori' truths involve the false-to-facts generation of 'universals' which ignore actualities, for example the multi-exceptions. The difference involves a delay in reactions, such that our cortex may function, allowing our nervous-system-to-work-as-a-whole as a properly ordered process. Here time-binding(capacity to improve on the accumulated abstractions of others, then transmitting it for future generations) comes in, where accumulating 'racial experience' called Science in human life, becomes in the main more important than personal individual 'opinions'('prejudices').
Korzybski found that the most reliable descriptions get made with physico-mathematical languages, since they appear closest to facts; whereas inferences, abstractions of higher order, become less reliable because they go further away from facts. In other words we must construct a language, similar in structure(having multi-dimensional order of relations) to the actualities, otherwise having an infinite-valued uncertain maximum probability of predictability. This then involves an extensional orientation to the non-verbal levels, employing multi-ordinal(order of values in a continuum) terms having different meanings contextually(dependent upon abstraction level), founded upon our non-definable, non-verbal representations.
As such Science suggests an ordering of evaluation involving:
(1). Physico-chemical, electronic process, representing the external dynamic process(noumena), more important than; the following electro-colloidal(after Thomas Graham(1861) atoms, molecules, etc., functioning as interchangeable bi-polar dispersions) processes, the basis of Psycho-logical levels of meaning(phenomena):
(2). The object, a nervous non-verbal abstraction in the brain, more important than;
(3). The descriptive-observation, a verbal level more important-reliable than;
(4). Inferences of higher order, a verbal level more important-reliable than;
(5). Inferences of higher order, etc., etc.
The key to consciousness of abstractions remains the Non-Aristotelian(Korzybski's(1933) fact orientated revision of Aristotle's(c.350B.C.) paradigm) premises introduced in "Science And Sanity". Since a language(using the analogy of maps) must become similar in structure to actualities then:
(1). "Map is not territory"- an abstraction, anything, etc., is not the 'same'.
(2). "Map is not all of the territory"- cannot have 'all' abstractions, anything, etc.
(3). "Map is self-reflexive"- an abstraction, anything, etc., has context.
Korzybski further introduces extensional devices to facilitate consciousness of abstractions:
(1). Indexes: mathematically expressing similarity-differences, for example Smith 1, Smith 2, etc.
(2). Dates: reminding us that changes occur over a period, for example Science 1933.
(3). Quotes: taking care by placing single quotes around false-to-facts terms.
(4). Hyphens: connecting non-elementalistic terms.
(5). Etc: taking into account non-allness.
Therefore General Semantics offers a theory of evaluation which has an equivalence to a theory of sanity(Psycho-logics), thus happiness. Such that insanity appears as maladjustment to 'reality',hence facts. Since the old 'aristotelian certainty and security' went with 'intensional' too much expectation- 'identification(s)', leads to a big let down- trauma. Which Douglas M.Kelley used successfully in the European theatre of World War II on soldiers with psycho-neurotic 'reaction' patterns, which for the most part had developed under combat stress. Reported in a paper "The Use Of General Semantics And Korzybskian Principles As An Extensional Method Of Group Psychotherapy In Traumatic Neuroses", in "The Journal Of Nervous And Mental Disease", September 1951.