Editing Dianetics (section)

== Premise ==

The word ''Dianetics'' was coined from Greek ''dia'' meaning "through" and ''nous'' meaning "mind".{{r|lewis-ch20|p=394}}

The pseudoscientific Dianetics ideas seek to explain the metaphysical relationship between the mind and the body.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Spellman |first1=Frank R. |last2=Price-Bayer |first2=Joan |title=In Defense of Science: Why Scientific Literacy Matters |date=2010 |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |location=Lanham |isbn=978-1-60590-735-2 |page=81 |url=https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781605907116/In-Defense-of-Science-Why-Scientific-Literacy-Matters}}</ref> The theory describes the human mind as two parts: the conscious "analytical mind" and the subconscious "[[reactive mind]]".{{r|TwoMinds}} The stated purpose of Dianetics technique, called "[[Auditing (Scientology)|auditing]]", is to erase the contents of the reactive mind—the holder of painful and destructive emotions which can act on a person as posthypnotic suggestions.{{r|wright|p=61}} "Auditing" uses techniques from [[hypnosis]] which are intended to create [[Psychological dependence|dependency]] and [[Obedience (human behavior)|obedience]] in the auditing subject.<ref name=HaSc24>{{cite book |last1=Hassan |first1=Steven A.|author-link1=Steven Hassan|last2=Scheflin |first2=Alan W.|editor-last1=Linden|editor-last2=De Benedittis|editor-last3=Sugarman|editor-last4=Varga|editor-first1=Julie H.|editor-first2=Giuseppe|editor-first3=Laurence I.|editor-first4=Katalin|chapter=Understanding the Dark Side of Hypnosis as a Form of Undue Influence Exerted in Authoritarian Cults: Implications for Practice, Policy, and Education|title=The Routledge International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis |date=2024 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |location=Abingdon/New York |isbn=978-1-032-31140-1 |pages=755–772 |url=https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-International-Handbook-of-Clinical-Hypnosis/Linden-DeBenedittis-Sugarman-Varga/p/book/9781032311401}}</ref> In auditing, the person is asked questions intended to help them locate and deal with painful past experiences.{{r|wright|p=63}}

Dianetics theory posits that "the basic principle of existence is to survive" and that the basic personality of humans is sincere, intelligent, and good. The drive for goodness and survival is distorted and inhibited by aberrations (deviations from rational thinking).{{r|garrison|page=25}} Hubbard claimed that Dianetics could increase intelligence, eliminate unwanted emotions and alleviate a wide range of illnesses he believed to be [[psychosomatic]]. Conditions purportedly treatable with Dianetics included arthritis, allergies, asthma, some coronary difficulties, eye trouble, ulcers, migraine headaches, and sexual deviation.<ref name=TwoMinds>{{cite news | title = Of Two Minds | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812852,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930084842/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812852,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 30 September 2007 |magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=July 24, 1950 |access-date=July 4, 2008}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20080307110459/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812852-2,00.html page2], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080307110504/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812852-3,00.html page 3])</ref>