Tuesday, 7 April 2020

Human Behavior, Mass And Individual

"The Sensitive Man," II.

Valti's "new mathematics," "symbolic sociology" and "sociosymbolic logic" predict mass events, like a nuclear war fifty years hence. See The New Mathematics and World War III. Dalgetty's senses and mental processes have been enhanced. See In The Mermaid Tavern and In The Grotto. Thus, so far, there are two new sciences: of society and of  individual psychology, respectively.

Next, they begin to be connected:

"'...the new science of human behavior, mass and individual, is achieving rigorous formulation. It's becoming the most powerful tool man has ever had - for whoever controls the human mind will also control all that man can do. That science can be used by anyone, mind you. If you'll read between the lines, you'll see what a hidden struggle is shaping up for control of it as soon as it reaches maturity and empirical usability.'" (p. 113)

But Valti's equations have already worked, at least on the mass scale.

A science of human behavior should be used not to control the human mind but to enable human beings to understand and control themselves. Is the struggle for control of the new science a struggle for control of the human mind or a struggle between those who want to control others and those who want individual and social freedom?

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Putting aside for the moment my total skepticism as to whether a science of human behavior is even possible, of COURSE there will be a struggle between those who want to use such a science to control others and those who do not.

Ad astra! Sean