General Semantics
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- Time-Binding: First Paper
(Alfred Korzybski)
This paper, published in 1924 and reprinted in "Collected Writings", presents
the first draft of what will become general semantics nine years later.
- Time-Binding: Second Paper
(Alfred Korzybski)
This paper, published in 1926 and reprinted in "Collected Writings", presents
the last draft of what will become general semantics seven years later. It
is an interesting summary of Science and Sanity.
- Fate and Freedom
(Alfred Korzybski)
This paper, published in 1923 in The Mathematics Teacher and reprinted
in "Collected Writings", shows the influence of Pr Cassius J. Keyser on
Korzybskian formulations.
- The Brotherhood of Doctrines
(Alfred Korzybski)
This paper, published in 1924 in The Builder and reprinted
in "Collected Writings", shows the influence of Pr Cassius J. Keyser on
Korzybskian formulations, and is very similar to the previous one.
- General Semantics
(Alfred Korzybski)
This paper, published in the American People's Encyclopedia in 1949 and
also in "Collected Writings", presents general semantics by its originator.
It gives a very clear account of its principles, methods and applications.
- Historical note on
the Structural Differential
(Alfred Korzybski)
As the title says.
- What I Believe
(Alfred Korzybski)
This short paper, published in the second edition of Manhood
of Humanity, presents Korzybski's credo and goals of general semantics.
- The Role of Language in the Perceptual Processes
(Alfred Korzybski)
This booklet, published in Collected Writings, presents a summary
of general semantics. Written at the end of his life, it represents perhaps
one of the best introductions to the discipline.
- Identification, in general semantics
(José Klingbeil)
Some notes on a technical term of general semantics: "identification", not
to be confused with the usual meanings of this word.
- Inference Tests and General Semantics
(José Klingbeil)
Technical considerations on inference tests in general semantics.
- Contra
Max Black: An Examination of 'The Definitive Critique' of General-Semantics
(Bruce Kodish)
A brilliant analysis of how critiques of general semantics are
biased by a superficial reading of Science and Sanity, or just
because they are based on another critique. The
validity of this analysis can be extended to many popularisers of
general semantics.
- General Semantics vs. Scientology
(José Klingbeil)
An extensive analysis of the links between the two disciplines.
- Typical Errors about General Semantics
(José Klingbeil)
An anthology of the typical errors made by beginners or 'debunkers' of general semantics.
- What is salt ?
(Steven Lewis)
On the difficulty of 'teaching' gs formulations.
- To be or not to be: E-Prime as a Tool for
Critical Thinking (D. David Bourland, Jr)
E-Prime advocates abolishing identification by the elimination of the verb
'to be' in the English language. Although it is not accepted by all general
semanticists (existence of identification at silent levels that cannot be
removed using only language), its important influence requires that we publish
this article here.
- "Cargo cult science" (Richard Feynman)
Caltech commencement address by Feynman, on scientific integrity
Very simple and instructive text, by a playful genius. From the book
"surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman" (W.W. Norton, 1980)
- A Physicist Experiments With Cultural Studies
(Pr Alan Sokal)
- What the Social Text Affair Does and Does Not Prove
(Pr Alan Sokal)
Pr Alan Sokal's famous hoax-experiment revealed a certain decline in standards of
intellectual rigor, in some 'cultural studies' circles. This article shows how confusing
verbal (non-experimental, intensional, etc.) arguments can be about the objective
scientific world, when using confusion of orders of abstraction (over-generalizations,
metaphors taken as demonstration, etc.).
The text of the original article published in the Social Text magazine is
available from Pr
Sokal's main web page.
- Colloids Today
(Claude Danglot)
A careful review of colloidal theories in Science and Sanity,
by the light of present knowledge (1997).
© ESGS, 2002.