INSTITUTE OF GENERAL SEMANTICS
Englewood, New-Jersey, USA
It is difficult for a philosopher to realise that anyone really is confining his discussion within the limits that I have set before you. The boundary is set up just where he is beginning to get excited. (573) A. N. WHITEHEADThe main portions of the present work have already been presented in the form of lectures before different universities, technological institutes, teachers' and physicians' associations, and other scientific bodies. The general outline was presented for the first time before the International Mathematical Congress in Toronto in 1924, and published in the form of a booklet. A further elaboration of the system was read before the Washington (D. C.) Society for Nervous and Mental Diseases in 1925, and the Washington (D. C.) Psychopathological Society in 1926, and later published. A fuller draft was presented before the Congrès des mathématiciens des pays Slaves, in Warsaw, Poland, in 1929. A special and novel aspect of the subject, in connection with the conditional reflexes of Pavlov, was outlined before the First International Congress of Mental Hygiene, Washington,That all debunkers must add new boshes of their own to supply the vacua created by the annihilation of the old, is probably a law of nature. (22) E. T. BELL
Teaching without a system makes learning difficult. The Talmud
The layman, the 'practical' man, the man in the street, says, What is that to me ? The answer is positive and weighty. Our life is entirely dependent on the established doctrines of ethics, sociology, political economy, government, law, medical science, etc. This affects everyone consciously or unconsciously, the man in the street in the first place, because he is the most defenseless. (280) A. K.
When new turns in behaviour cease to appear in the life of the individual its behaviour ceases to be intelligent. (106) G. E. COGHILL
'Tis a lesson you should heed,
Try again;
If at first you don't succeed,
Try again;
Then your courage should appear,
For if you will persevere
You will conquer, never fear,
Try again.
WILLIAM EDWARD HICKSON.
D.C., in 1930. Other aspects were discussed before the American Mathematical Society, October 25, 1930, and the Mathematical Section of The American Association for the Advancement of Science, December 28, 1931. The latter paper is printed as Supplement III in this volume.
The general character of the present work is perhaps best indicated by the two following analogies. It is well known that for the working of any machine some lubricant is needed. Without expressing any judgement about the present 'machine age', we have to admit that technically it is very advanced, and that without this advancement many scientific investigations necessitating very refined instruments would be impossible. Let us assume that mankind never had at its disposal a clean lubricant, but that existing lubricants always contained emery sand, the presence of which escaped our notice. Under such conditions, existing technical developments, with all their consequences, would be impossible. Any machine would last only a few weeks or months instead of many years, making the prices of machines and the cost of their utilization entirely prohibitive. Technical development would thus be retarded for many centuries. Let us now assume that somebody were to discover a simple means for the elimination of emery from the lubricants; at once the present technical developments would become possible, and be gradually accomplished.
Something similar has occurred in our human affairs. Technically we are very advanced, but the elementalistic premises underlying our human relations, practically since Aristotle, have not changed at all. The present investigation reveals that in the functioning of our nervous systems a special harmful factor is involved, a 'lubricant with emery' so to speak, which retards the development of sane human relations and prevents general sanity. It turns out that in the structure of our languages, methods, 'habits of thought', orientations, etc., we preserve delusional, psychopathological factors. These are in no way inevitable, as will be shown, but can be easily eliminated by special training, therapeutic in effect, and consequently of educational preventive value. This 'emery' in the nervous system I call identification. It involves deeply rooted 'principles' which are invariably false to facts and so our orientations based on them cannot lead to adjustment and sanity.
A medical analogy here suggests itself. We find a peculiar parallel between identification and infectious diseases. History proves that under primitive conditions infectious diseases cannot be controlled. They spread rapidly, sometimes killing off more than half of the affected population. The infectious agent may be transmitted either
directly, or through rats, insects, etc. With the advance of science, we are able to control the disease, and various important preventive methods, such as sanitation, vaccination, etc., are at our disposal.
Identification appears also as something 'infectious', for it is transmitted directly or indirectly from parents and teachers to the child by the mechanism and structure of language, by established and inherited 'habits of thought', by rules for life-orientation, etc. There are also large numbers of men and women who make a profession of spreading the disease. Identification makes general sanity and complete adjustment impossible. Training in non-identity plays a therapeutic role with adults. The degree of recovery depends on many factors, such as the age of the individual, the severity of the 'infection', the diligence in training in non-identity, etc. With children the training in non-identity is extremely simple. It plays the role both of sanitation and of the equally simple and effective preventive vaccination.
As in infectious diseases, certain individuals, although living in infected territory, are somehow immune to this disease. Others are hopelessly susceptible.
The present work is written on the level of the average intelligent layman, because before we can train children in non-identity by preventive education, parents and teachers must have a handbook for their own guidance. It is not claimed that a millenium is at hand, far from it; yet it seems imperative that the neuro-psycho-logical factors which make general sanity impossible should be eliminated.
I have prefaced the parts of the work and the chapters with a large number of important quotations. I have done so to make the reader aware that, on the one hand, there is already afloat in the 'universe of discourse' a great deal of genuine knowledge and wisdom, and that, on the other hand, this wisdom is not generally applied and, to a large extent, cannot be applied as long as we fail to build a simple system based on the complete elimination of the pathological factors.
A system, in the present sense, represents a complex whole of coordinated doctrines resulting in methodological rules and principles of procedure which affect the orientation by which we act and live. Any system involves an enormous number of assumptions, presuppositions, etc., which, in the main, are not obvious but operate unconsciously. As such, they are extremely dangerous, because should it happen that some of these unconscious presuppositions are false to facts, our whole life orientation would be vitiated by these unconscious delusional factors, with the necessary result of harmful behaviour and
maladjustment. No system has ever been fully investigated as to its underlying unconscious presuppositions. Every system is expressed in some language of some structure, which is based in turn on silent presuppositions, and ultimately reflects and reinforces those presuppositions on and in the system. This connection is very close and allows us to investigate a system to a large extent by a linguistic structural analysis.
The system by which the white race lives, suffers,
'prospers', starves, and dies today is not in a strict sense an
aristotelian system. Aristotle had far too much of the sense of
actualities for that. It represents, however, a system formulated
by those who, for nearly two thousand years since Aristotle, have
controlled our knowledge and methods of orientations, and who,
for purposes of their own, selected what today appears as the
worst from Aristotle and the worst from Plato and, with their
own additions, imposed this composite system upon us. In this
they were greatly aided by the structure of language and psycho-logical
habits, which from the primitive down to this very day have affected
all of us consciously or unconsciously, and have introduced serious
difficulties even in science and in mathematics.
Our rulers: politicians, 'diplomats', bankers, priests
of every description, economists, lawyers, etc., and the majority
of teachers remain at present largely or entirely ignorant of
modern science, scientific methods, structural linguistic and
semantic issues of 1933, and they also lack an essential historical
and anthropological background, without which a sane orientation
is impossible.1 This ignorance is often wilful as they
mostly refuse, with various excuses, to read modern works dealing
with such problems. As a result a conflict is created and maintained
between the advance of science affecting conditions of actual
life and the orientations of our rulers, which often remain antiquated
by centuries, or one or two thousand years. The present world
conditions are in chaos; psycho-logically there exists a state
of helplessness-hopelessness, often resulting in the feelings
of insecurity, bitterness, etc., and we have lately witnessed
psychopathological mass outbursts, similar to those of the dark
ages. Few of us at present realize that, as long as such ignorance
of our rulers prevails, no solution of our human problems
is possible.
The distinctly novel issue in a non-aristotelian
system seems to be that in a human class of life elementary methodological
and structural ignorance about the world and ourselves, as revealed
by science, is bound to introduce delusional factors, for no one
can be free from some conscious or unconscious structural assumptions.
The real and only problem therefore seems to be whether our structural
assumptions in 1933 are primitive or of the 1933 issue. The older
'popularization of science' is not the solution, it often does
harm. The progress of science is due in the main to scientific
methods and linguistic revisions, and so the new facts discovered
by such methods cannot be properly utilized by antiquated psycho-logical
orientations and languages. Such utilization often results only
in bewilderment and lack of balance. Before we can adjust ourselves
to the new conditions of life, created in the main by science,
we must first of all revise our grossly antiquated methods of
orientation. Then only shall we be able to adjust ourselves properly
to the new facts.
Investigations show that the essential scientific
structural data of 1933 about the world and ourselves are extremely
simple, simpler even than any of the structural fancies of the
primitives. We usually have sense enough to fit our shoes to our
feet, but not sense enough to revise our older methods of orientation
to fit the facts. The elimination of primitive identifications,
which is easily accomplished once we take it seriously, produces
the necessary psycho-logical change toward sanity.
'Human nature' is not an elementalistic product of
heredity alone, or of environment alone, but represents a very
complex organism-as-a-whole end-result of the enviro-genetic manifold.
It seems obvious, once stated, that in a human class of life,
the linguistic, structural, and semantic issues represent powerful
and ever present environmental factors, which constitute most
important components of all our problems. 'Human nature' can
be changed, once we know how. Experience and experiments show
that this 'change of human nature', which under verbal elementalism
was supposed to be impossible, can be accomplished in most cases
in a few months, if we attack this problem by the non-elementalistic,
neuro-psycho-logical, special non-identity technique.
If the ignorance and identifications of our rulers
could be eliminated a variety of delusional factors through home
and school educational and other powerful agencies would cease
to be imposed and enforced upon us, and the revision of our systems
would be encouraged, rather than hampered. Effective solutions
of our problems would then appear spontaneously and in simple
forms; our 'shoes' would fit our 'feet' and
we could 'walk through life' in comfort, instead
of enduring the present sufferings.
Since our existing systems appear to be in many respects
unworkable and involve psychopathological factors owing in the
main to certain presuppositions of the aristotelian system, and
also for brevity's sake, I call the whole operating systemic complex
'aristotelian'. The outline of a new and modern system built after
the rejection of the delusional factors I call 'non-aristotelian'.
To avoid misunderstandings I wish to acknowledge explicitly my
profound admiration for the extraordinary genius of Aristotle,
particularly in consideration of the period in which he lived.
Nevertheless, the twisting of his system and the imposed immobility
of this twisted system, as enforced for nearly two thousand years
by the controlling groups, often under threats of torture and
death, have led and can only lead to more disasters. From what
we know about Aristotle, there is little doubt that, if alive,
he would not tolerate such twistings and artificial immobility
of the system usually ascribed to him.
The connection between the study of psychiatry and
the study of mathematics and the foundations of mathematics is
very instructive. In the development of civilization and science
we find that some disciplines, for instance, the very young science
of psychiatry, have progressed rapidly. Other disciplines such
as mathematics, physics, etc., until recently progressed slowly,
mainly on account of certain dogmas and prejudices. Of late some
of these prejudices have been eliminated, and since then the progress
of these sciences has become extremely rapid. Still other disciplines
such as 'psychology', the traditional 'philosophy', sociology,
political economy, ethics, etc., have developed their principles
very little in nearly two thousand years notwithstanding a wealth
of accumulated new data.
Many reasons are responsible for this curious state
of affairs, but I will suggest only three, in the order of their
importance. (1) First of all, the last mentioned slowly developing
disciplines are the closest to us humans, and a primitive man,
or an entirely ignorant person 'knows all about' these most complex
problems in existence. This 'know it all' general tendency produces
an environmental, psychological, linguistic, etc., manifold,
filled with identifications which produce dogmas, prejudices,
misunderstandings, fears, and what not, making an impersonal,
impartial scientific approach next to impossible. (2) Few of us
realize the unbelievable traps, some of them of a psychopathological
character, which the structure of our ordinary language sets before
us. These also make any scientific approach or
agreement on vital points impossible. We grope by
animalistic trial and error, and by equally animalistic strife,
wars, revolutions, etc. These first two points apply practically
to all of us, and introduce great difficulties even into mathematics.
(3) One of the main reasons why psychiatry has advanced so rapidly
in such a short period in contradistinction to 'psychology', is
that it studies relatively simple and relatively singled-out symptoms.
But as these symptoms are not isolated, and represent the reactions
of the organism-as-a-whole, their partial study yields glimpses
of the general and fundamental mechanisms. If we study mathematics
and mathematical sciences as forms of human behaviour, we study
also simplified and singled-out human reactions of the type: 'one
and one make two', 'two and one make three', etc., and we also
get glimpses of general mechanisms. In psychiatry we study simplified
psycho-logical reactions at their worst; in mathematics and mathematical
sciences we study simplified psychological reactions at
their best. When both types of reactions are studied conjointly,
most unexpected and very far-reaching results follow which deeply
affect every known phase of human life and activity, science included.
The results of such widely separated studies do not conflict,
but supplement each other, elucidating very clearly a general
mechanism which operates in all of us. Psychiatrical studies help
us most unexpectedly in the solution of mathematical paradoxes;
and mathematical studies help us to solve very important problems
in psychotherapy and in prevention of psycho-logical disorders.
History shows that the advancement of science and
civilization involves, first, an accumulation of observations;
second, a preliminary formulation of some kind of 'principles'
(which always involve some unconscious assumptions); and, finally,
as the numbers of observations increase, it leads to the revision
and usually the rejection of unjustified, or false to facts 'principles',
which ultimately are found to represent only postulates. Because
of the cumulative and non-elementalistic character of human knowledge,
a mere challenge to a 'principle' does not carry us far. For expediency,
assumptions underlying a system have (1) to be discovered, (2)
tested, (3) eventually challenged, (4) eventually rejected, and
(5) a system, free from the eventually objectionable postulates,
has to be built.
Examples of this abound in every field, but the histories
of the non-euclidean and non-newtonian systems supply the simplest
and most obvious illustrations. For instance, the fifth postulate
of Euclid did not satisfy even his contemporaries, but these challenges
were ineffective for more than two thousand years. Only in the
nineteenth
century was the fifth postulate eliminated and non-euclidean
systems built without it. The appearance of such systems marked
a profound revolution in human orientations. In the twentieth
century the much more important 'principles' underlying our notions
about the physical world, such as 'absolute simultaneity', 'continuity'
of atomic processes, 'certainty' of our experiments and conclusions,
etc., were challenged, and systems were then built without them.
As a result, we now have the magnificent non-newtonian physics
and world outlooks, based on the work of Einstein and the quantum
pioneers.
Finally, for the first time in our history, some
of the most important 'principles' of all principles, this time
in the 'mental world', were challenged by mathematicians. For
instance the universal validity of the so-called 'logical law
of the excluded third' was questioned. Unfortunately, as yet,
no full-fledged systems based on this challenge have been formulated,
and so it remains largely inoperative, although the possibilities
of some non-aristotelian, though elementalistic and unsatisfactory
'logics', are made obvious.
Further researches revealed that the generality
of the 'law of the excluded third' is not an independent postulate,
but that it is only an elementalistic consequence of a deeper,
invariably false to facts principle of 'identity', often unconscious
and consequently particularly pernicious. Identity is defined
as 'absolute sameness in all respects', and it is this 'all' which
makes identity impossible. If we eliminate this 'all' from the
definition, then the word 'absolute' loses its meaning, we have
'sameness in some respects', but we have no 'identity', and only
'similarity', 'equivalence', 'equality', etc. If we consider that
all we deal with represents constantly changing sub-microscopic,
interrelated processes which are not, and cannot be 'identical
with themselves', the old dictum that 'everything is identical
with itself' becomes in 1933 a principle invariably false to facts.
Someone may say, 'Granted, but why fuss so much about
it ?' My answer would be, 'Identification is found in all
known primitive peoples; in all known forms of mental
ills; and in the great majority of personal, national, and international
maladjustments. It is important, therefore, to eliminate such
a harmful factor from our prevailing systems.' Certainly no one
would care to contaminate his child with a dangerous germ, once
it is known that the given factor is dangerous. Furthermore, the
results of a complete elimination of identity are so far-reaching
and beneficial for the daily life of everyone, and for
science,2 that such 'fussing'
is not only justified, but becomes one of the primary tasks before
us. Anyone who will study the present work will be easily convinced
by observations of human difficulties in life, and science, that
the majority of these difficulties arise from necessary false
evaluations, in consequence of the unconscious false to facts
identifications.
The present work therefore formulates a system, called
non-aristotelian, which is based on the complete rejection of
identity and its derivatives, and shows what very simple yet powerful
structural factors of sanity can be found in science. The experimental
development of science and civilization invariably involves more
and more refined discriminations. Each refinement means the elimination
of some identifications somewhere, but many still remain in a
partial and mostly unconscious form. The non-aristotelian system
formulates the general problem of non-identity, and gives childishly
simple non-elementalistic means for a complete and conscious elimination
of identification, and other delusional or psychopathological
factors in all known fields of human endeavours, in science, education,
and all known phases of private, national, and international life.
This work, in its application to education and psychotherapy,
has been experimental for more than six years.
The volume is divided into three main divisions,
Book I gives a general survey of non-aristotelian structural factors
discovered by science, which are essential in a textbook. Only
such data are selected, interpreted and evaluated as are necessary
for a full mastery of the system. Book II presents a general introduction
to non-aristotelian systems and general semantics free from identity,
and gives a technique for the elimination of delusional factors
from our psychological reactions. Book III gives additional
structural data about languages, and also an outline of the essential
structural characteristics of the empirical world, but only such
as are pertinent for training in the non-aristotelian discipline.
Following each quotation prefacing each part and
chapter, the number in parenthesis indicates the number of the
book in the bibliography from which the quotation is taken.
I have tried to avoid footnotes as much as possible.
The small numbers after some words in the text refer to the Notes
on p. 763 ff., where the references to the bibliography are given.
Book II is largely self-contained and therefore can
be read independently of the others, after the reader has become
acquainted with the short tables of abbreviations given on pp.
15 and 16, and with Chapters II and IV. I believe, however, that
for the best results the book should be read consecutively without
stopping at passages which at first are not entirely clear, and
read at least twice. On the second reading, passages which at
first were not clear will become obvious because, in such a wide
system, the beginning presupposes the end, and vice versa.
The discovery of such important and entirely general
delusional factors in the older systems leads to a far-reaching
revision of all existing disciplines. Because of modern complexities
of knowledge this revision can only be accomplished by the activities
of specialists working together as a group, and unified by one
principle of non-identity, which necessitates a structural treatment.
To facilitate this most urgent need, and to present
the results of this work to the public at reasonable prices, an
International Non-aristotelian Library has been organized, to
be printed and distributed by The Science Press Printing Company,
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., and Grand Central Terminal,
New York City.
It is also intended to organize an International
Non-aristotelian Society with branches in connection with all
institutions of learning throughout the world, where co-operative
scientific work for the elimination of identity can be carried
out, as this work is beyond the capacities of any one man.
Since the scope of the Library and Societies is international,
I have accepted, in the main, the Oxford spelling and rules, which
are a happy medium between the English used in the United States
of America and that of the rest of the world. In certain instances
I had to utilize some forms of expressions which are not entirely
customary, but these slight deviations were forced upon me by
the character of the subject, the need for clarity, and the necessity
for cautiousness in generalizations. The revision of the manuscript
and reading of the proofs in connection with other editorial and
publishing duties has been a very laborious task for one man,
and I only hope that not too many mistakes have been overlooked.
Corrections and suggestions from the readers are invited.
The International Non-aristotelian Library is a non-commercial,
scientific venture, and the interest and help of
scientists, teachers, and those who are not indifferent to the
advancement of science, civilization, sanity, peace, and to the
improvement of social, economic, international, etc., conditions,
will be greatly appreciated.
From one point of view, this enquiry has been independent;
from another, much material has been adapted. In some instances
it is impossible to give specific credit to an author, particularly
in a textbook, and it is simpler and fairer to state that the
works of Professors H. F. Biggs, G. Birtwistle, E. Bleuler, R.
Bonola, M. Born, P. W. Bridgman, E. Cassirer, C. M. Child, A.
S. Eddington, A. Einstein, A. Haas, H. Head, L. V. Heilbrunn,
C. J. Herrick, S. E. Jelliffe, C. J. Keyser, C. I. Lewis, J. Loeb,
H. Minkowski, W. F. Osgood, H. Piéron, G. Y. Rainich, B.
Russell, C. S. Sherrington, L. Silberstein, A. Sommerfeld, E.
H. Starling, A. V. Vasiliev, H. Weyl, W. A. White, A. N. Whitehead,
E. B. Wilson, L. Wittgenstein and J. W. Young have been constantly
consulted.
Although I have had no opportunity to use directly
the fundamental researches of Doctor Henry Head on aphasia, and
particularly on semantic aphasia, my whole work has been seriously
influenced by his great contributions. Doctor Head's work, in
connection with a non-elementalistic analysis, makes obvious the
close connection between: (1) identifications; (2) structural
ignorance; (3) lack of proper evaluations in general, and of the
full significance of words and phrases in particular; and (4)
the corresponding necessary, at least colloidal lesions of the
nervous system.
I am under heavy obligations to Professors: E. T.
Bell, P. W. Bridgman, C. M. Child, B. F. Dostal, M. H. Fischer,
R. R. Gates (London), C. Judson Herrick, H. S. Jennings, R. J.
Kennedy, R. S. Lillie, B. Malinowski (London), R. Pearl, G. Y.
Rainich, Bertrand Russell (London), M. Tramer (Bern), W. M. Wheeler,
H. B. Williams, W. H. Wilmer; and Doctors: C. B. Bridges, D. G.
Fairchild, W. H. Gantt, P. S. Graven, E. L. Hardy, J. A. P. Millet,
P. Weiss, W. A. White, Mr. C. K. Ogden (London), and Miss C. L.
Williams, for reading the manuscript and/or the proofs as a whole,
or in part, and for their invaluable criticism, and suggestions.
I also owe much to Doctor C. B. Bridges and Professor
W. M. Wheeler, not only for their important criticisms and constructive
suggestions, but also for their painstaking editorial corrections
and interest.
Needless to say, I assume full responsibility for
the following pages, the more, that I did not always follow the
suggestions made.
I wish to express my deep appreciation to Doctor
W. A. White and the staff of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington,
D. C., who, during my two years of study in the hospital, gave
me every assistance to facilitate my research work there. I am
indebted to Doctor P. S. Graven for supplying me with his as yet
unpublished experimental clinical material, which was very useful
to me.
Three important terms have been suggested to me;
namely, 'enviro-genetic' by Doctor C. B. Bridges, 'actional' by
Professor P. W. Bridgman, and 'un-sane' by Doctor P. S. Graven,
which debt I gladly acknowledge.
I am also deeply grateful to Professor R. D. Carmichael
for writing Supplement I for this book on the Theory of Einstein,
and to Doctor P. Weiss for his kind permission to reprint as Supplement
II his article on the Theory of Types.
I warmly appreciate the kindness of those authors
who gave me their permission to utilize their works.
During my twelve years of research work in the present
subject and preparation of this volume I have been assisted by
a number of persons, to whom I wish to express my appreciation.
My particular appreciation is extended to my secretary, Miss Lily
E. MaDan who, besides her regular work, made the drawings for
the book; to Miss Eunice E. Winters for her genuine assistance
in reading the proofs and compiling the bibliography; and to Mr.
Harvey W. Culp for the difficult reading of the physico-mathematical
proofs and the equally difficult preparation of the index.
The technical efficiency in all departments of the
Science Press Printing Company, and the zealous and courteous
co-operation of its compositors and officials, have considerably
facilitated the publication of this book, and it is my pleasant
duty to extend my thanks to them.
My heaviest obligations are to my wife, formerly
Mira Edgerly. This work was difficult, very laborious, and often
ungrateful, which involved the renouncing of the life of 'normal'
human beings, and we abandoned much which is supposed to make
'life worth living'. Without her whole-hearted and steady support,
and her relentless encouragement, I neither would have formulated
the present system nor written the book which embodies it. If
this book proves of any value, Mira Edgerly is in fact more to
be thanked than the author. Without her interest, no non-aristotelian
system, nor theory of sanity would have been produced in 1933.
A. K.
NEW YORK,
AUGUST, 1933.
The author and the publishers gratefully acknowledge
the following permissions to make use of copyright material in
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to utilize material from the work of L. V. Heilbrunn.
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Eddington, A. N. Whitehead, A. N. Whitehead and Bertrand Russell.
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Bertrand Russell and J. B. Shaw.
The Oxford University Press, London and New York,
for a ten dollar permission to quote from the works of I. P. Pavlov
and H. F. Biggs.
The publishers of Physical Review, New York, for
permission to quote from the paper of C. Eckart.
The Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey,
for permission to quote from the work of A. Einstein.
Messrs. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London,
for permission to utilize the works of J. Loeb.
The W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, Pa., for
permission to quote from the works of W. T. Bovie, A. Church and
F. Peterson, and C. J. Herrick.
The Science Press, New York and Lancaster, Pa., for
permission to quote from the work of H. Poincaré.
Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, for permission
to quote from the works of G. Santayana.
The University of California Press, Berkeley, Calif.,
for permission to quote from the work of C. I. Lewis.
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, III., for
permission to quote from the works of W. Heisenberg, C. J. Herrick,
R. S. Lillie, and J. Loeb.
The publishers of the University of Washington Chapbooks,
Seattle, Wash., for permission to quote from the work of E. T.
Bell.
The Williams and Wilkins Company, Baltimore, Md.,
for permission to quote from the work of E. T. Bell.
In several instances I have quoted a few lines from
other publications, without asking special permission. I now wish
to express my gratitude to these respective publishers.
In all instances the sources, from which the quotations
and the material used were taken, are explicitly indicated in
the text of the book. 2 While correcting the proofs of this Preface, I read a telegraphic
press report from London by Science Service, that Professor Max Born, by the application
of the non-elementalistic methods of Einstein, has succeeded in making a major
contribution to the formulation of a unified field theory which now includes the quantum
mechanics. Should this announcement be verified in its scientific aspects, our understanding
of the structure of 'matter', 'electron', etc., would be greatly advanced, and would involve
of course most important practical applications. For the semantic aspects of these problems,
see pp. 378, 386 f., 541, 667, 698-701, and Chapter XXXIX.
1 The literature of these subjects is very large and impossible to
give here or in my bibliography; but as primers I may as well suggest numbers 299, 334,
492, 558, 589 in my bibliography. These books in turn give further references.