Dianetics: The Original Thesis (Primary Axioms)

PRIMARY AXIOMS

Dianetics is an heuristic science built upon axioms. Workability rather than Idealism has been consulted. The only claim made for these axioms is that by their use certain definite and predictable results can be obtained.

The principal achievement of Dianetics lies in its organization. Almost any of its parts can be found somewhere in history, even when they were independently evolved by the writer. There

are no principal sources, and where a practice or a principle is borrowed from some past school the connection is usually accidental and does not admit any further use or validity of that school. Dianetics will work, and can only be worked, when regarded and used as a unity. When diluted by broader applications of older practices, it will no longer produce results. To avoid confusion and prevent semantic difficulties, new and simplified terminology has been used and is used only as defined herein.

Dianetics is actually a family of sciences. It is here addressed in the form of a science of thought applicable to psychosomatic ills and individual aberrations.

The field of thought may be divided into two areas which have been classified as the “knowable” and the “unknowable.” We are here concerned only with the “knowable.” In the “unknowable” we place that data which we do not need to know in order to solve the problem of improving or resolving aberrations of the human mind. By thus splitting the broad field of thought, we need not now concern ourselves with such indefinites as spiritualism, deism, telepathy, clairvoyance, or, for instance, the human soul.

Conceiving this split as a line drawn through the area, we can assign a dynamic principle of existence to all that data remaining in the “knowable” field.

After exhaustive research one word was selected as embracing the finite universe as a dynamic principle of existence. This word can be used as a guide or a measuring stick and by it can be evaluated much information. It is therefore our first and our controlling axiom.

The first axiom is:

SURVIVE!

This can be seen to be the lowest common denominator of the finite universe. It embraces all forms of energy. It further delineates the purpose of that energy so far as it is now viewable by us in the “knowable” field. The activity of the finite universe can easily be seen to obey this axiom as though it were a command. All works and energies can be considered to be motivated by it. The various kingdoms have this as their lowest common denominator, for animals, vegetables and minerals are all striving for survival. We do not know to what end we are surviving, and in our field of the “knowable” and in our choice of only the workable axioms, we do not know and have no immediate reason to ask why.

All forms of energy are then surviving to some unknown end, for some unknown purpose. We need only to know that they are surviving and that, as units or species, they must survive.

[…]

For the purpose of Dianetics, good and evil must be defined. Those things which may be classified as good by an individual are only those things which aid himself, his family, his group, his race, mankind or life in its dynamic obedience to the command, modified by the observations of the individual, his family, his group, his race, or life.

As evil may be classified those things which tend to limit the dynamic thrust of the individual, his family, his group, his race, or life in general in the dynamic drive, also limited by the observation, the observer and his ability to observe.

Good may be defined as constructive. Evil may be defined as destructive—definitions modified by viewpoint. The individual man is an organism attempting to survive in affinity or contest with other men, races, and the three kingdoms. His goal is survival for himself, his progeny, his group, his race, his symbiotes, life and the universe in general in contest with any efforts or entities which threaten or impede his efforts to attain the goal.

His happiness depends upon making, consolidating, or contemplating gains toward his goal.

It is a purpose of Dianetics to pass man across the abyss of irrational, solely reactive thought and enter him upon a new stage of constructive progression to the ultimate goal.

Hubbard, L. R. (1951). Dianetics: The Original Thesis. Los Angeles, The American Saint Hill Organization, United States.