Basic Differences between a Pre-Scientific Orientation and a Scientific
Orientation Compiled by Steve Stockdale
from Wendell Johnson's People In Quandaries
In a prescientific orientation, the natural process of
projection is carried out unconsciously (relative lack of
"to-me-ness"). It is realized only vaguely, or not at all,
that every statement conveys information about the
speaker as well as information about whatever the
speaker may seem to be talking about; and the degree
of self-reference is largely ignored in evaluating the
statement's factual significance.
In a scientific orientation, the natural process of
projection is carried out with a high degree of
awareness (consciousness of projection, or "tome-
ness"). It is realized that every statement conveys
information about the speaker as well as information
about whatever the speaker may seem to be talking
about; and the degree of self-reference is reckoned in
evaluating the statement's factual significance.
In a prescientific orientation, there is a marked
tendency to speak as though with the voice of another
(ventriloquizing). For example, the voice of The Law
is not recognized as the voice of the judge himself. The
speaker tends to ventriloquize both unconsciously and
deliberately (as in the planned use of "ethical proof").
Only the more artful and deliberate ventriloquizers
seem to realize that, after all, it is their own evaluations
that they are expressing.
In a scientific orientation, there is little or no tendency
to speak as though with the voice of another
(ventriloquizing). For example, the voice of The Law is
recognized as the voice of the Judge himself. The
speaker tends not to ventriloquize either unconsciously
or deliberately; he realizes that what he expresses are
his own evaluations - even though he may quote
another man's words.
This is part of a larger chart at: http://www.generalsemantics.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/articles/other/basic-differences-between-a-pre-scientific-orientation-by-wendell-johnson.pdf
