Human Engineering will not interfere with any scientific research; on the
contrary, it will promote it in many ways. Grown-ups, it is to be hoped,
will stop the nonsense of intermixing dimensions, for which we chastise
children. It is the same kind of blundering as when we intermix
phenomena—measuring “God” by human standards, or human beings by animal
standards. The relationship, if any, between these phenomena or the
overlapping of different classes, is interesting and important; but in
studying such relationships of classes, it is fatal to mix the classes;
for example, if we are studying the relations between surfaces and solids,
it is fatal to mistake solids for surfaces; just so, too, if we stupidly
confuse humans with animals.
In the reality of life, we are interested only in the values of the
function of the phenomena by themselves and to arrive at right conclusions
we have to use units appropriate to the phenomena. The intermixing of
units gives us a wrong conception of the values of each phenomenon; the
results of our calculations are wrong and the outcome is a misconception
of the process of human life. The fact once realized, we will cease
applying animal measures to man; even theology will abandon the monstrous
habit.
Animal units and standards are to be applied to animals, human standards
to man, “Divine” standards to “God.”
In the dark ages, with the complete innocence or misunderstanding of
science, the “why” of things was explained by the “who” of things; therein
investigation culminated; man was regarded as _homo sapiens_ and homo
sapiens = animal × spark of _super_natural; this monstrous formula was
accepted as a final truth—as an answer to the question: What is Man? This
type of answer became in the hands of church and state a powerful
instrument for keeping the people in subjection.
The tendency of the masses to let others think for them is not really a
_natural_ characteristic—quite the opposite. The habit of not thinking for
one’s self is the result of thousands of years of subjection. Those in
authority, in general, used their ingenuity to keep the people from
thinking. The most vital reason why many humans appear to be, and are
often called, “stupid,” is that they have been spoken to in a language of
speculation which they instinctively dislike and distrust; thus there
arose the proverb that speech was made to conceal the truth. It is no
wonder that they appear “stupid,” the wonder is that they are not more
“stupid.” The truth is that they will be found to be far less stupid when
addressed in the natural language of ascertainable fact. My whole theory
is based upon, and is in harmony with, the natural feelings of man. The
conceptions I introduce are based on human _nature_. Natural language—so
different from the speech of metaphysical speculation—will lead to mutual
understanding and the disappearance of warring factions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account