Chapter IX: A Review by Doug Renselle of Boris Sidis' 'Philistine & Genius,' a work treating his trials and tribulations with public and media reactions to his son William James Sidis, published in May, 1911.


A Review
of
Chapter IX
of
Boris Sidis'
Philistine and Genius
by Doug Renselle
—
Start of Review
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII

Move to any Chapter of Boris Sidis' Philistine & Genius,
or to beginning of its review via this set of links
( says, "You are here!")


Chapter IX
Help Children Tap Their Reserve Energy: Flux is Crux!
©Quantonics' contrived chapter title.

PAGE
QUOTEs
(Most quotes verbatim Boris Sidis, some paraphrased.)
COMMENTs
(Relevant to Pirsig, William James Sidis, and Quantonics Thinking Modes.)

56 "I assume that as liberal men and women you have no use for the process of cramming and stuffing of college-geese and mentally indolent, morally obtuse and religiously 'cultured' prigs and philistines, but that you realize that your true vocation is to get access to the latent energies of your children, to stimulate their reserve energies and educate, bring to light, man's genius. The science of psychopathology now sets forth a fundamental principle which is not only of the utmost importance in psychotherapeutics, but also in the domain of education; it is the principle of stored up, dormant, reserve energy, — the principle of potential, subconscious, reserve energy. [This phrase, 'reserve energy,' is key to understanding Boris' interrelationships with William James. We need to ascertain who originated this phrase. We think James originated it. William James Sidis (WJS) uses 'reserve energy' in cosmological and ontological contexts in his The Animate and the Inanimate (A I A). WJS' interpretation, apparent intuition, and application of 'reserve energy' in his A I A anticipated more modern quantum concepts like: negentropy/zeroentropy/posentropy and their quantum coherent/partially-coherent/decoherent interrelationships, reversibility dependent upon those complex interrelationships, superluminality, tunneling, gravity as a partially coherent quantum interrelationship, quantum subconsciousness as a reserve energy interrelationship, etc. This phrase, 'reserve energy' is key to understanding WJS' interrelationships with both Boris, his father, and William James, a mentor. On page 319, of Boris Sidis' 1922 book, Nervous Ills, he says, "In a later chapter I take up the subject of subconscious reserve energy advanced by [William] James and myself, independently." PDR 5May2000.]"
(Our bold emphasis. Our bracketed notes and parentheticals.)

Boris is extremely harsh. But think about how William, his son was treated by static culture. Then, perhaps, you may see more clearly, and accept his retributions.

He tells parents what their true purpose is. We agree!

He discloses his and William James' concept of 'reserve energy.'

This 'reserve energy' of which both Sidis and James speak, is even vaster than they imagined. It is what quantum science calls Casimir energy. Its other synonyms are: Quantum Vacuum Flux (QVF), Vacuum Energy Space (VES), Zero Point Energy (ZPE), etc.

Note how WJS' Appendix IV to Boris' book, Symptomatology, Psychognosis, and Diagnosis of Psychopathic Diseases, 1st edition, 1914, The Gorham Press - Boston, classically misinterprets subconscious mind as isomorphic to conscious mind. They are not isomorphic! They are a quantum complementary quanton(reserve_energy,conscious)! William James Sidis made an enormous error of classical logic in that appendix! Question we ask is why? We surmise he knew better. We surmise he was shoving classical ilk's ex cathedra arrogance down their throats, and he saw his Dad as part of classical ilk. See for yourself our transcription of Appendix IV, titled Unconscious Intelligence. You may also wish to see our ad lib review of it Doug's Review of WJS' Unconscious Intelligence. Also see year-end 2000 Bret & Doug Dialogue where Doug answers Bret's concerns re: Doug's review of UI.

Boris' 'reserve energy' is, in modern quantum scientific terms, complementary to sentient consciousness. It is unlimited, and with effort one can learn to access it and use it to grow both spiritually and intellectually. Boris, William, Sarah, and perhaps William James knew how to access reserve energy intellectually.

All living things access 'reserve energy.' Each of us does it when we flex an arm or a muscle. Our minds naturally use 'reserve energy' to gain tentative, partial coherence for thought. However, few of us can tap that energy massively.

Note how Pirsig has described his experiences with 'It.' Note how Eugen Herrigel describes Zen Masters' insistence that one may not become 'cohesive' with reality unless one learns to tap 'reserve energy.'

Western culture's (SOM's) greatest bane is that it teaches us NOT to believe in nor to attempt access to 'reserve energy.' In a sense, Western culture, because of its disdain for subjective, non-classically 'scientific' phenomena, denies 'reserve energy's' existence. Why? Western culture denies any subjective existence! Only objective reality 'exists' in Western culture. But in that Western cultural ESQ lies its own demise.

57
"It is claimed on good evidence, biological, physiological and psychopathological, that man possesses large stores of unused energy which the ordinary stimuli of life are not only unable to reach, but even tend to inhibit. Unusual combinations of circumstances, however, radical changes of the environment, often unloose the inhibitions brought about by the habitual narrow range of man's interests and surroundings. Such unloosening of inhibitions helps to release fresh supplies of reserve energy. It is not the place here to discuss this fundamental principle; I can only state it in the most general way, and give its general trend in the domain of education.

"You have heard the psychologizing educator advise the formation of good, fixed, stable habits in early life. Now I want to warn you against the dangers of such"

(Our bold emphasis.)

Note how antithetical this behavior is to classical education's built-in control. How many nitwit teachers told you, "Break a rule, get in trouble!" That is pure SOM BS, and it runs rampant in our US Public education system. How many parents do same? How many jobs have you held where supervisors did same? All mantra of SOMites! "Be objective. Follow rules. Let us control you. Rules is tools. Eliminate all your dynamic instincts. There are no 'new' ideas. Stay in our classical Church of Reason. Stay in our mythos, or we will declare you insane, or we will kill you!" Pure SOM dogma. Pure Parmenidean, Platonic, Aristotelian BS.

All, just classical hegemony, fully dressed in its ESQ monastic whole cloth. Western culture's monolith vis-à-vis nature's own incremental pluralism. Now who's your Mommy: Western (any) culture, or nature? Doug.

(It sounds like I am rooting for total dynamis. No! It is just that we have been in a culture of almost pure stasis for so long, and its ill-affects have done so much harm, that I am rebelling against stasis, especially ESQ. Pirsig teaches, and I adhere, balance! We must find ways to balance both dynamis and stasis. We need more intellectual rubber-banding, more flex-stretch-fluxability in classrooms! As Boris says, static rules crimp genius. Dump 'em. Virtual classrooms, I believe, will help repair this problem. AI teachers will too. Think about it! 14May2000 Doug.)

58
"unrestricted advice. Fixed adaptations, stable habits, tend to raise the thresholds of mental life, tend to inhibit the liberation, the output of reserve-energy. Avoid routine. Do not let your pupils fall into the ruts of habits and customs. Do not let even the best of habits harden beyond the point of further possible modification.

"Where there is a tendency towards formation of over-abundant mental cartilage, set your pupils to work under widely different circumstances. Confront them with a changed set of conditions. Keep them on the move. [Flux is crux! PDR] Surprise them by some apparently paradoxical relations and strange phenomena. Do not let them settle down to one definite set of actions or reactions. Remember that rigidity, like sclerosis, induration of tissue, means decay of originality, destruction"
(Our bold emphasis. Our bracketed notes.)

59
"of man's genius. With solidified and unvariable habits not only does the reserve energy become entirely inaccessible [accessibility, from a quantum perspective is partial coherence — a valid example here is arm flexure — a partially coherent access of 'reserve energy' — Boris is telling us that our minds do similar things — Mae-wan Ho, et al., agree], but the very individuality is extinguished.

"Do not make of our children a nation of philistines. Why say, you make man in your own image? Do not make your schools machine-shops, turning out on one uniform pattern so much mediocrity per year. Cultivate variability. [Cultivate "Flux is crux!" as your personal mantra. Doug - 3May2000.] The tendency towards variability is the most precious part of a good education. Beware of the philistine with his set, stable habits.

"The important principle in education is not so much formation of habits as the power of their re-formation. The power of breaking up habits is by far the more essential factor of a good education. It is in this power of breaking down habits that we can find the key for the unlocking of the otherwise inaccessible stores of"
(Our bold emphasis. Our bracketed notes.)

Consider an implication: socialization extinguishes individuality!

How to begin tapping your 'reserve energy.'

60
"subconscious reserve energy. The cultivation of the power of habit-disintegration is what constitutes the proper education of man's genius.*

"*A well known editor of one of the academic Journals on Educational Psychology writes to me as follows:

"'Your remarks on the avoidance of routine would be like a red rag to a bull for a number of educators who are emphasizing the importance of habit formation in education at present.'"

(Our bold emphasis.)

See our recent (2001) How to Tap Into Reserve Energy. Doug - 5Nov2001.
Return to Chapter Index

To contact Quantonics write to or call:

Doug Renselle
Quantonics, Inc.
Suite 18 #368 1950 East Greyhound Pass
Carmel, INdiana 46033-7730
USA
1-317-THOUGHT

©Quantonics, Inc., 2000-2012 — Rev. 26Aug2009 PDR — Created: 5May2000 PDR
(3Aug2000 rev - Change 'Not' to 'Note' in comments on page 56.)
(3Aug2000 rev - Correct typo of Boris text: change 'breathing' to 'breaking.')
(1Jan2001 rev - Add page 56 bold red comments and link to Bret&Doug dialogue.)
(2Jan2001 rev - Add page 59 bold red comment.)
(5Nov2001 rev - Add our link to How to Tap Into Reserve Energy.)
(14-15Apr2006 rev - Adjust colors. Release table constraints. Add p. 57 comments anchor "We need more intellectual rubber-banding.")
(26Aug2009 rev - Make page current.)

Return to Review

PAGE	QUOTEs (Most quotes verbatim Boris Sidis, some paraphrased.)	COMMENTs (Relevant to Pirsig, William James Sidis, and Quantonics Thinking Modes.)
56	"I assume that as liberal men and women you have no use for the process of cramming and stuffing of college-geese and mentally indolent, morally obtuse and religiously 'cultured' prigs and philistines, but that you realize that your true vocation is to get access to the latent energies of your children, to stimulate their reserve energies and educate, bring to light, man's genius. The science of psychopathology now sets forth a fundamental principle which is not only of the utmost importance in psychotherapeutics, but also in the domain of education; it is the principle of stored up, dormant, reserve energy, — the principle of potential, subconscious, reserve energy. [This phrase, 'reserve energy,' is key to understanding Boris' interrelationships with William James. We need to ascertain who originated this phrase. We think James originated it. William James Sidis (WJS) uses 'reserve energy' in cosmological and ontological contexts in his The Animate and the Inanimate (*A I A). WJS' interpretation, apparent intuition, and application of 'reserve energy' in his A I A* anticipated more modern quantum concepts like: negentropy/zeroentropy/posentropy and their quantum coherent/partially-coherent/decoherent interrelationships, reversibility dependent upon those complex interrelationships, superluminality, tunneling, gravity as a partially coherent quantum interrelationship, quantum subconsciousness as a reserve energy interrelationship, etc. This phrase, 'reserve energy' is key to understanding WJS' interrelationships with both Boris, his father, and William James, a mentor. On page 319, of Boris Sidis' 1922 book, Nervous Ills, he says, "In a later chapter I take up the subject of subconscious reserve energy advanced by [William] James and myself, independently." PDR 5May2000.]"	(Our bold emphasis. Our bracketed notes and parentheticals.) Boris is extremely harsh. But think about how William, his son was treated by static culture. Then, perhaps, you may see more clearly, and accept his retributions. He tells parents what their true purpose is. We agree! He discloses his and William James' concept of 'reserve energy.' This 'reserve energy' of which both Sidis and James speak, is even vaster than they imagined. It is what quantum science calls Casimir energy. Its other synonyms are: Quantum Vacuum Flux (QVF), Vacuum Energy Space (VES), Zero Point Energy (ZPE), etc. Note how WJS' Appendix IV to Boris' book, Symptomatology, Psychognosis, and Diagnosis of Psychopathic Diseases, 1st edition, 1914, The Gorham Press - Boston, classically misinterprets subconscious mind as isomorphic to conscious mind. They are not isomorphic! They are a *quantum complementary* quanton(reserve_energy,conscious)! William James Sidis made an enormous error of classical logic in that appendix! Question we ask is why? We surmise he knew better. We surmise he was shoving classical ilk's ex cathedra arrogance down their throats, and he saw his Dad as part of classical ilk. See for yourself our transcription of Appendix IV, titled Unconscious Intelligence. You may also wish to see our ad lib review of it Doug's Review of WJS' Unconscious Intelligence. Also see year-end 2000 Bret & Doug Dialogue where Doug answers Bret's concerns re: Doug's review of UI. Boris' 'reserve energy' is, in modern quantum scientific terms, complementary to sentient consciousness. It is unlimited, and with effort one can learn to access it and use it to grow both spiritually and intellectually. Boris, William, Sarah, and perhaps William James knew how to access reserve energy intellectually. All living things access 'reserve energy.' Each of us does it when we flex an arm or a muscle. Our minds naturally use 'reserve energy' to gain tentative, partial coherence for thought. However, few of us can tap that energy massively. Note how Pirsig has described his experiences with 'It.' Note how Eugen Herrigel describes Zen Masters' insistence that one may not become 'cohesive' with reality unless one learns to tap 'reserve energy.' Western culture's (SOM's) greatest bane is that it teaches us NOT to believe in nor to attempt access to 'reserve energy.' In a sense, Western culture, because of its disdain for subjective, non-classically 'scientific' phenomena, denies 'reserve energy's' existence. Why? Western culture denies any subjective existence! Only objective reality 'exists' in Western culture. But in that Western cultural ESQ lies its own demise.
57	"It is claimed on good evidence, biological, physiological and psychopathological, that man possesses large stores of unused energy which the ordinary stimuli of life are not only unable to reach, but even tend to inhibit. Unusual combinations of circumstances, however, radical changes of the environment, often unloose the inhibitions brought about by the habitual narrow range of man's interests and surroundings. Such unloosening of inhibitions helps to release fresh supplies of reserve energy. It is not the place here to discuss this fundamental principle; I can only state it in the most general way, and give its general trend in the domain of education. "You have heard the psychologizing educator advise the formation of good, fixed, stable habits in early life. Now I want to warn you against the dangers of such"	(Our bold emphasis.) Note how antithetical this behavior is to classical education's built-in control. How many nitwit teachers told you, "Break a rule, get in trouble!" That is pure SOM BS, and it runs rampant in our US Public education system. How many parents do same? How many jobs have you held where supervisors did same? All mantra of SOMites! "Be objective. Follow rules. Let us control you. Rules is tools. Eliminate all your dynamic instincts. There are no 'new' ideas. Stay in our classical Church of Reason. Stay in our mythos, or we will declare you insane, or we will kill you!" Pure SOM dogma. Pure Parmenidean, Platonic, Aristotelian BS. All, just classical hegemony, fully dressed in its ESQ monastic whole cloth. Western culture's monolith vis-à-vis nature's own incremental pluralism. Now who's your Mommy: Western (any) culture, or nature? Doug. (It sounds like I am rooting for total dynamis. No! It is just that we have been in a culture of almost pure stasis for so long, and its ill-affects have done so much harm, that I am rebelling against stasis, especially ESQ. Pirsig teaches, and I adhere, balance! We must find ways to balance both dynamis and stasis. We need more intellectual rubber-banding, more flex-stretch-fluxability in classrooms! As Boris says, static rules crimp genius. Dump 'em. Virtual classrooms, I believe, will help repair this problem. AI teachers will too. Think about it! 14May2000 Doug.)
58	"unrestricted advice. Fixed adaptations, stable habits, tend to raise the thresholds of mental life, tend to inhibit the liberation, the output of reserve-energy. *Avoid routine. Do not let your pupils fall into the ruts of habits and customs. Do not let even the best* of habits harden beyond the point of further possible modification. "Where there is a tendency towards formation of over-abundant mental cartilage, set your pupils to work under widely different circumstances. Confront them with a changed set of conditions. Keep them on the move. [Flux is crux! PDR] Surprise them by some apparently paradoxical relations and strange phenomena. Do not let them settle down to one definite set of actions or reactions. Remember that rigidity, like sclerosis, induration of tissue, means decay of originality, destruction**"	(Our bold emphasis. Our bracketed notes.)
59	"of man's genius. With solidified and unvariable habits not only does the reserve energy become entirely inaccessible [accessibility, from a quantum perspective is partial coherence — a valid example here is arm flexure — a partially coherent access of 'reserve energy' — Boris is telling us that our minds do similar things — Mae-wan Ho, et al., agree], but the very individuality is extinguished. "Do not make of our children a nation of philistines. Why say, you make man in your own image? Do not make your schools machine-shops, turning out on one uniform pattern so much mediocrity per year. Cultivate variability. [Cultivate "Flux is crux!" as your personal mantra. Doug - 3May2000.] The tendency towards variability is the most precious part of a good education. Beware of the philistine with his set, stable habits. "The important principle in education is not so much formation of habits as the power of their re-formation. The power of breaking up habits is by far the more essential factor of a good education. It is in this power of breaking down habits that we can find the key for the unlocking of the otherwise inaccessible stores of"	(Our bold emphasis. Our bracketed notes.) *Consider an implication: socialization extinguishes individuality!* How to begin tapping your 'reserve energy.'
60	"subconscious reserve energy. The cultivation of the power of habit-disintegration is what constitutes the proper education of man's genius.* "*A well known editor of one of the academic Journals on Educational Psychology writes to me as follows: "'Your remarks on the avoidance of routine would be like a red rag to a bull for a number of educators who are emphasizing the importance of habit formation in education at present.'"	(Our bold emphasis.) See our recent (2001) How to Tap Into Reserve Energy. Doug - 5Nov2001.