Reactive mind
Encyclopedia
The reactive mind is a concept in the Dianetics
and Scientology
systems of L. Ron Hubbard
, referring to that portion of the human mind that is unconscious
and stimulus-response, which Hubbard blamed for most mental and physical ailments. These ailments are regarded by Scientologists as psychosomatic ones:
Despite the lack of scientific basis for his claims, Hubbard's book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
claimed that the Reactive Mind stores impressions (which he called engrams
) of past events, which occurred while the person was unconscious or otherwise not completely aware.
Scientology
and Dianetics
use a galvanic skin response
detector called an E-meter
originally designed by Volney Mathison
that is basically a Wheatstone bridge
designed to help the work of erasing one's own "engrams" According to Dianetics, erasing one's own reactive mind altogether can be facilitated by measuring the changes in resistance experienced by a living organism. Scientology promotes such treatments as a means of "spiritual rehabilitation" called auditing
.
, Oxford
Biology
professor Richard Dawkins
states that Scientology purports to use scientific tools such as its controversial E-Meter to augment the "gullibiligy" of this already "gullible age".
Dianetics
Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body that was invented by the science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard and is practiced by followers of Scientology...
and Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
systems of L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
, referring to that portion of the human mind that is unconscious
Unconscious mind
The unconscious mind is a term coined by the 18th century German romantic philosopher Friedrich Schelling and later introduced into English by the poet and essayist Samuel Taylor Coleridge...
and stimulus-response, which Hubbard blamed for most mental and physical ailments. These ailments are regarded by Scientologists as psychosomatic ones:
"What can it do? It can give a man arthritis, bursitis, asthma, allergies, sinusitis, coronary trouble, high blood pressure and so on, down the whole catalog of psychosomatic ills, adding a few more which were never specifically classified as psychosomatic, such as the common coldCommon coldThe common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
." - L. Ron Hubbard (Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental HealthDianetics: The Modern Science of Mental HealthDianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health is a book by L. Ron Hubbard which sets out self-improvement techniques he developed, called Dianetics. The book is also one of the canonical texts of Scientology. It is colloquially referred to as Book One...
, 1999 paperback edition, pg.69)
Despite the lack of scientific basis for his claims, Hubbard's book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health is a book by L. Ron Hubbard which sets out self-improvement techniques he developed, called Dianetics. The book is also one of the canonical texts of Scientology. It is colloquially referred to as Book One...
claimed that the Reactive Mind stores impressions (which he called engrams
Engram (Dianetics)
In Dianetics and Scientology, an engram is defined as "a mental image picture which is a recording of an experience containing pain, unconsciousness and a real or fancied threat to survival. It is a recording in the reactive mind of something which actually happened to an individual in the past and...
) of past events, which occurred while the person was unconscious or otherwise not completely aware.
Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
and Dianetics
Dianetics
Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body that was invented by the science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard and is practiced by followers of Scientology...
use a galvanic skin response
Galvanic skin response
Skin conductance, also known as galvanic skin response , electrodermal response , psychogalvanic reflex , skin conductance response or skin conductance level , is a method of measuring the electrical conductance of the skin, which varies with its moisture level...
detector called an E-meter
E-meter
An E-meter is an electronic device used during Dianetics and Scientology auditing. The device is a variation of a Wheatstone bridge, which measures electrical resistance and skin conductance. It is formally known as the Hubbard Electrometer, for the Church's founder, L. Ron Hubbard...
originally designed by Volney Mathison
Volney Mathison
Volney G. Mathison was an American chiropractor, writer, and inventor of the E-meter.-Family:In 1935, Mathison was married to Jean Darrell, a music librarian for NBC. She died in November 1964.-Writer:...
that is basically a Wheatstone bridge
Wheatstone bridge
A Wheatstone bridge is an electrical circuit used to measure an unknown electrical resistance by balancing two legs of a bridge circuit, one leg of which includes the unknown component. Its operation is similar to the original potentiometer. It was invented by Samuel Hunter Christie in 1833 and...
designed to help the work of erasing one's own "engrams" According to Dianetics, erasing one's own reactive mind altogether can be facilitated by measuring the changes in resistance experienced by a living organism. Scientology promotes such treatments as a means of "spiritual rehabilitation" called auditing
Auditing (Scientology)
Auditing was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and is described by the Church of Scientology as "spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology".-Description:...
.
Criticism
According to The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
professor Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins
Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
states that Scientology purports to use scientific tools such as its controversial E-Meter to augment the "gullibiligy" of this already "gullible age".