Preface to thinking & living skills: general semantics for critical thinking 1995.

ON THE EVENING of January 28, 1980, my friend, Greg B. Phillips, arrived at my house for his regular weekly visit. During our conversation, he made a casual offer that triggered a chain of events destined to change my life. He merely suggested that I might like to read The World of Null-A, an award-winning science-fiction story about a 26th-century man trained in a special kind of "logic." (1-4)

My friend knew that for years I worried about the personally and socially destructive effects of illogical human behavior, so he showed no surprise when I asked to borrow his book. Reading that intriguing story provided me with a tantalizing taste of general semantics. I had discovered an exciting subject that could help me cultivate more powerful thinking skills than the pure logic I learned in school. General semantics seemed light-years beyond "semantics" because it offered me new ways to think, communicate, act, and react. Immediately, I realized the relevance of it for improving my life.

When I returned the book to my friend, I felt content with my new gems of wisdom. But, to my surprise, I soon found that I could not stop thinking about them. I had to learn more about these fascinating ideas, so I began reading general semantics books cover to cover. For me, that first close encounter with general semantics felt like finding buried treasure.

In addition to studying these methods for better thinking and living, I started using a few of them to deal with the choices and challenges in my daily life.

In the course of a decade, applying these new ideas helped me do the following:

* Think clearly and flexibly

* Communicate accurately

* Argue less often and listen more carefully

* Understand the tricks used by some persuaders in their attempts to sell me a product, an idea, or a lottery ticket

* Distinguish between statements of fact versus statements of opinion, objective reports versus prejudiced judgments, and, in general, sense versus nonsense

* Cultivate a fine-tuned awareness of possibilities that has increased my ability to avoid accidents, especially car accidents.

Using the thinking and living skills of general semantics brings me great rewards: I have fewer unnecessary problems and bad experiences.

Now for comments on general semantics from others:

   "[In a general semantics seminar*] participation ... provided me with
   a safe and supportive environment in which I could understand and
   practice the [general semantics] principles. As a result, I came away
   with a deeper understanding and appreciation of life as a process,
   rather than an event. I feel more confident in coping with life's
   situations and interpersonal relationships." (5)
   --JANE BACHMAN

   "I wish every student in high school had the opportunity to take a
   class in general semantics.... students seem to love using what we
   study in class.... I enjoy hearing about how an inference led one
   astray, how a nonsense argument was resolved, ... or how eliminating
   to be made a difference in how they perceived the world. Certainly
   students see the relevance of the course." (6)
   --RUTH MCCUBBREY

   "I have taught general semantics concepts [in high school] since 1963
   .... Student response has remained positive, even enthusiastic. I now
   have the children of former students in the classes." (7)
   --RICHARD J. DOVGIN

   "As a new [high school] teacher in 1970, I wrote a semester English
   course called 'Introduction to Semantics' ... I used Language in
   Thought and Action as a source.... During its height, I had 300
   students a year for an eight year period.... At last count, I have
   exposed more than 4,000 students in varying degrees to the principles
   of general semantics.... The feedback from past students is
   gratifying.... I think general semantics has touched their lives."
   (8)
   --WILLIAM DOHERTY

   "While 'everyone' around us was teaching and talking about 'common
   sense,' Korzybski [the founder of general semantics], for the first
   time, introduced the uncommon sense of an Einstein to everyday
   thinking, communicating, and behaving." (9)
   --SANFORD I. BERMAN

Many of the following selections from ETC (1986-1993) describe the usefulness of general semantics in different situations. (10) Open the treasure chest of general semantics, behold the gems of wisdom, take as many as you want, and begin the adventure of discovering important rewards when you apply them in your life.

   Greg Sawin approached life and general semantics with thoughtfulness,
   great enthusiasm, and interest. He was fun to be around. He had a
   gentle, silly sense of humor that made me laugh. "What is happening,
   Greg?" was always my question when he called. My life seemed better
   after each call. He was a rare and true friend, helpful and sincere.
   He truly worked at using the methods of general semantics in his
   life; for him, just talking about GS was not enough (though talk he
   surely did). He really wanted to understand general semantics, and to
   use its power for good in his life. He had the rare courage to
   question his own premises, and great endurance and patience. He
   seldom gave up. I and many others loved him.
   JIM FRENCH, EDITOR
   THE GENERAL SEMANTICS BULLETIN

   Table tennis coach, guitar picker, Star Trek aficionado, medical
   editor, not-quite master chess player, etc., etc.: Greg Sawin
   inhabited many realms. Those who knew him mostly through their
   associations with general semantics will likely think of him in
   certain important but limited ways. Those fortunate to have had a
   friendship with Greg will have shared much more of the riches of his
   intellect, found inspiration in his many accomplishments, and been
   cheered by his triumphs over physical affliction. Farewell Greg. At
   the very least you live on in your friends' memories of many unended
   conversations and in our continued pursuit of shared goals.
   JEREMY KLEIN, CONSULTING EDITOR
   ETC: A REVIEW OF GENERAL SEMANTICS

* This 1991 summer seminar took place at Alverno College, a women's college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was conducted by instructors from the Institute of General Semantics.

NOTES AND REFERENCES

1. A.E. van Vogt, The World of Null-A, (A.E. van Vogt, 1945; this book has been translated into nine languages); Ariel Press Edition 1989, Canal Winchester, OH.

2. A.E. van Vogt, The Players of Null-A, (1948); Ariel Press, 1989.

3. A.E. van Vogt, Null-A Three, New York, DAW Books, Inc., 1985.

4. H.L. Drake, A.E. van Vogt's General-Semantics Worlds, General Semantics Bulletin, no. 54 (1988-1989), Institute of General Semantics, Englewood, NJ, pp.73-80.

5. Jane Bachman, ETC 48, no. 4 (Winter 1991-92), p.441.

6. Ruth McCubbrey (high school English and general semantics teacher), ETC 45, no. 2 (Summer 1988), p.176.

7. Richard J. Dovgin, ETC 49, no. 4 (Winter 1992-93), p.457.

8. William Doherty, ETC 49, no. 4 (Winter 1992-93), pp.456-457.

9. Sanford I. Berman (former lecturer on effective communication at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, President of Educational Cassettes and past-president of the ISGS), ETC 46, no. 4 (Winter 1989), p.356.

10. ETC, published quarterly by the International Society for General Semantics, was founded by the late S. I. Hayakawa. In 1993, we celebrated the journal's 50th Anniversary. Now, thousands of Society members in 50 countries enjoy reading ETC. [ETC is now published by the Institute of General Semantics, which merged with the International Society for General Semantics in 2004.]

RELATED OMITTED: GREGORY SAWIN 1950-2004

GS author and Assistant Editor of this journal, Gregory Sawin died on Friday, March 12, 2004. Sawin had a powerful vision of how we can use the formulations of general semantics to improve our lives, which he shared in his many ETC articles and in his 1995 book Thinking & Living Skills: General Semantics for Critical Thinking.

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