Arizona Skeptic - Vol 5 No 2 - 1991

Magazine Overview

Title: The Arizona Skeptic
Issue: Volume 5, Issue 2
Date: September/October 1991
Publisher: Phoenix Skeptics
Focus: A journal promoting critical thinking, with this issue featuring an in-depth examination of L. Ron Hubbard's "Dianetics: From Out of the Blue?"

Dianetics: From Out of the Blue?

This article, authored by Jeff Jacobsen, critically analyzes L. Ron Hubbard's 1950 book "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health." Jacobsen challenges Hubbard's claims of originality, asserting that many of the core concepts presented in Dianetics were not new but had been explored and discussed in scientific and psychological literature prior to Dianetics' publication.

Origins of Dianetics' Ideas

Jacobsen begins by noting Hubbard's assertion that Dianetics was entirely unprecedented, a "bolt from the blue." However, Hubbard himself acknowledged studying "many schools of mental healing" and mentioned figures like Alfred Korzybski, Emil Kraepelin, Franz Mesmer, Ivan Pavlov, Herbert Spencer, Sigmund Freud, and Aleister Crowley as influences or resources. Hubbard also stated he spent time in a medical library in 1945, suggesting exposure to existing research.

The article points to striking similarities between Dianetics' theories and articles published in the "Psychoanalytic Review" in 1941. Specifically, the concept of "engrams" – memories of events recorded when the analytical mind is unconscious and stored in the reactive mind – is discussed.

Engrams and Pre-Birth Memories

A significant portion of the article focuses on the concept of engrams, particularly those related to pre-birth experiences. Dr. J. Sadger, writing in 1941, described patients whose psychological issues were resolved only after recalling experiences from their time as zygotes, sperm, or ova. Sadger noted the existence of an "unconscious lasting memory" from embryonic days that could influence adult behavior, including "unmistakable dreams" of being a sperm. Hubbard's Dianetics posits that engrams are stored in cells and passed on to clone cells, and that patients sometimes report feelings of being sperms or ovums, a concept mirroring Sadger's findings.

Another similarity identified is the idea that mothers may attempt abortion unconsciously. Sadger stated that many accidents of pregnant women are attempts at abortion by the unconscious, a notion echoed by Hubbard's claim that "attempted abortion is very common."

Life in the womb is also explored, with a patient quoted describing being "shaken and rocked" during pregnancy, leading to lifelong dizziness and aversion to swings. Hubbard similarly insists that forced coitus during pregnancy results in an engram for the child.

Birth Trauma and Abreaction

Grace W. Pailthorpe, M.D., writing in 1941, argued for deeper psychoanalysis into infancy and the "trauma of birth," suggesting that these unconscious memories drive adult behavior. She believed recovery occurred only when these unconscious deviations were exposed.

Jacobsen draws parallels between Dianetics and psychoanalysis, particularly the concept of "abreaction." Abreaction, a cornerstone of analytic therapy since Freud, involves bringing pathogenic affects back into conscious mind and re-experiencing them. Nathaniel Thornton, D.Sc., described abreaction as a method of freeing patients from deleterious results of affects by re-experiencing them with original force and intensity.

Auditing vs. Abreactive Therapy

"Auditing" in Dianetics is presented as a virtual clone of abreative therapy. It involves searching for engrams and re-experiencing the event until the pre-clear is no longer affected. Hubbard extends this to claim that removing all engrams results in an "almost god-like human."

Other Influences: Korzybski and Cybernetics

The article also touches upon Alfred Korzybski, whose theories are acknowledged in Dianetics. Some former followers of Dianetics suggest Korzybski's work made his theories more widely known. A comparison is drawn between Dianetics and Korzybski's writings, suggesting little fundamental difference. The influence of "Cybernetics" by Norbert Wiener (1948) is also noted, highlighting similarities in comparing the human mind to a computer and the concept of "affective tone" scales.

Lack of Scientific Validation and Unsubstantiated Claims

Jacobsen concludes that Dianetics' theories did not emerge "out of the blue" but were a synthesis of uncredited, previous works. He questions the scientific validity of Dianetics, pointing out "outlandish, unsubstantiated claims" made by Hubbard, such as the possibility of curing cancer, improving IQ, extending life, and achieving total recall. The article notes that Hubbard's research was reportedly kept in "little notebooks" and that attempts to validate his research have been unsuccessful, making it difficult to check and duplicate using the scientific method.

The Role of Science Fiction and Skepticism

The article highlights that L. Ron Hubbard was a science-fiction writer before penning Dianetics, and suggests that the book, lacking documentation and relying on bizarre, unsubstantiated claims, can be classified as "mere science-fiction." The author quotes S.I. Hayakawa, who described Dianetics as "balderdash" that takes a long book to get people to listen to each other.

Book Reviews

The issue also includes book reviews:

• "Bryant's Law and Other Broadsides" by John Bryant, reviewed by Jim Lippard: Lippard criticizes Bryant's work, particularly his critique of "The Skeptical Inquirer." Bryant's arguments are deemed unreasonable, lacking evidence, and demonstrating a lack of familiarity with skeptical literature on UFOs and other topics.
• "Hypnosis and Free Will" by Jim Lippard: This article discusses the common belief that hypnotized individuals cannot be induced to act against their moral code, citing experiments and cases where this has been challenged. It touches on criminal actions performed by hypnotized persons and the debate surrounding whether hypnosis was an excuse or a cause.

Articles of Note

Several other articles are briefly mentioned:

• Peter W. Huber's "Quack Attack" in "Reason" on clinical ecology and "medical fantasy."
• Alun Anderson's "Britain's Crop Circles" in "Science," discussing Terence Meaden's plasma/wind vortex theory.
• Larry Eichel's report in "The Arizona Daily Star" about artists Doug Bower and David Chorley confessing to creating crop circles.
• John Rennie's "Psychic vs. Skeptic" in "Scientific American" on Uri Geller's lawsuits against James Randi.
• Lawrence Wright's "Sympathy for the Devil" in "Rolling Stone" on Anton LaVey of the Church of Satan.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Arizona Skeptic, as indicated by its title and the content of this issue, adopts a strong skeptical stance. It promotes critical thinking, scientific logic, and the scientific method. The editorial stance is to subject claims of the paranormal, occult, and fringe sciences to rigorous examination and to provide factual and scientific information. The issue's primary article on Dianetics exemplifies this by deconstructing a popular belief system and questioning its scientific basis and originality, aligning with the journal's goal of promoting critical analysis of unsubstantiated claims.