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A Review
of
Boris Sidis' Book
Nervous Ills
Chapter XXXIII: Life Energy and the Neurotic
by Doug Renselle
Doug's Pre-review Commentary
Start of Review


Chapters I-XXI
Introduction I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII

XVIII
XIX XX XXI
       

Chapters XXII-XXXVII
XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX XXXI XXXII XXXIII XXXIV XXXV

XXXVI

XXXVII
Index
   

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Chapter XXXIII......Life Energy and the Neurotic

PAGE

 PARA

QUOTEs
(Most quotes verbatim Boris Sidis, some paraphrased.)

COMMENTs
(Relevant to Pirsig, William James, William James Sidis, and
Quantonics Thinking Modes.)

332

1

The subject of fear may be considered from a somewhat different point of view, namely from a purely physiological and biological aspect. The cell in general, the nerve cell, or neuron, is a reservoir of energy. In fact the great biologist Sachs [Ferdinand Gustav Julius von (1832-1897); German biologist-botanist] proposed to term the cell, energid [a fecundular unit of metabolism (metabolisis: both~while~and anabolisiscatabolisis cellular_resurrection~rebirthcellular_apoptosis~suicide; anabolic~catabolic~quantum~network~self~other~referent~sophism as full metabolic cycle) in reproduction].

(Our brackets.)

Boris' thelogos for this chapter is 10%! That is a very large number: 124 occurrences of the out of 1234 total words! This page has one graphic which accounts for a low word count overall. But it shows how Boris' thelogos jumps when he tries to describe an objective diagram!

Boris relates fear and nerve cell energy...

2 For we must look at the organism as a store of energy which is used up in the course of the adjustments of the individual to his environment. The organism stores up energy and uses the energy during the course of its life activity.
3 Life energy is physiological, bio-chemical, electrical, mechanical, etc. The mental and emotional activities are intimately related with the expenditure of energy accumulated by the cells of the organism, which discharge that energy in response to the various stimulations of the external world. In its activities the organism keeps on taking in energy, and once more discharging energy in its life reactions. The storing up of energy falls under the anabolic or building up processes, while the discharging or liberating processes of the amount of the stored up energy are classed under the katabolic [Boris' Anglicized Russian spelling; rather, catabolic; large multicellular enzymatic degradation-apparently unprogramed; similar notion to cellular apoptosis-a programed unit cell death; see telomeres AKA chromosome termination codon (amino acid triples) sequences] processes.

(Our brackets.)

These types, categories, classes of energy are all classical.

 

Boris describes dichon(anabolic, catabolic). Classical! SQ!

 

Nature appears to implement physial termination in he-r biological creation. When we speak of absence of apoptosis (extreme viscosity and stuckness-state-ic-ness) in social patterns, here is an example of what our quantum stages view as needed... Intellectual patterns among MoQites tend to evolve rapidly. They memetically self-recurse and emerge. Of great importance, they practice a kind of Planck rate built-in pragma-auto-memetic apoptosis. Use this meme when you see us say, "Social patterns do n¤t practice apoptosis-catabolism. Their own demise-sunset is apparently left unprogramed. It is as though we expect social patterns to dissolve when we are through with them. However that is not what we see happening. Social patterns seek new means for their survival, at all costs. Social patterns live in some peculiar need for anti-memetic perpetuity and anti-Bergsonian stability. A need for a kind of unpragmatic security which is unnaturally unreal." This is a major flaw in lesser evolved social patterns of Value, and majorly why we say they become, quite unnaturally, ESQ.

Why do we see this as a flaw?

Pirsigean_reality issi quanton(DQ,SQ).

Quantonics_reality issi quanton(n¤nactuality,actuality).

DQ amd quantum n¤nactuality (~QVF) aræ analogues.

SQ amd quantum actuality (~PES) aræ analogues.

DQ amd quantum n¤nactuality-QVF impose an abs¤lute changæ mandate on SQ amd quantum actuality-PES! Bergson calls it "elan vitale impetus." It issi Nature's own mandate for changæ. To see it, watch an ocean, a river, a galaxy, any emerqant's aging, a mountain's crumbling, a parent aging and transitioning, etc.

(Some emerqants appear perpetual, almost ESQ-like: photons, electrons, nucleons. But when we look closely, they aræ themselves 'packets' of abs¤lute internal quantum flux. Their packet patterns aræ perpetually quantum memetic! QED describes very complex photon-electron interrelationships. QCD describes even more complex nucleon interrelationships. Currently, however, both QED and QCD are classically mechanical, radically formal disciplines.)

ESQ social patterns fight Nature's abs¤lute (intrinsic) mandate for changæ. ESQ social patterns attempt 'absolute' predicable 'certainty' in face of a quantum real mandate of quantum umcærtainty.

For this, classicists foolishly call Nature "absurd."

333 4 The total cycle of energy from the start of storage to the end of liberation of energy, starting once more with the storing of energy, may be regarded as the cycles of organic functional activity which is classified under metabolism. We deal here with a reservoir of vital energy whose life activities or reactions depend on the amount of energy contained in the cell or the neuron, and whose functioning and reactions vary with the level of energy in the reservoir.

Boris commences his discussion in this chapter of notions behind his brand of 'reserve energy.'

Boris agrees with absolute change, but his cell and energy 'models' are trapped in classical actuality, an unavoidable affect of adhering a subject-object predicate logic rationale.

Boris sees Nature's mandate for change, but he entraps he-r in SOM logic.

We see Boris as a quantum tell of humankind's eventual emergence from SOM's box, SOM's COORs. Like Bergson. Like James. Like Geertz. Like Pirsig.

5 The neuron is but a highly differentiated cell or reservoir for the [apparently conservative] intake and outgo of energy. In this respect the nerve cell is entirely like other cells of humbler function. Every cell is a storage cell, accumulating energy and then liberating it at an appropriate occasion of a given stimulus, all cells working for the preservation of the organism as a whole. The rise and fall of the level of energy in the reservoir regulate the various manifestations, sensory, motor, emotional, mental which the individual displays to the various stimulations coming from his environment.

(Our brackets.)

 

Every cell is a quanton wh¤se actual c¤mplement only appears classical amd wh¤se n¤nactual c¤mplement issi quantum vacuum flux (our quantum version of reserve energy, amd wholly unlike what Boris discusses here).

Boris' reservoir appears classically J. C. Maxwellian, 2nd 'Law' of thermodynamics conservative.

334 6 Within certain limits the fall of energy is normal,—when it reaches a certain level tue organism once more replenishes the store and once more the level of energy rises. This energy is Dynamic under certain conditions. However, the discharge of energy must go on, and the organism must draw further on its store of energy, on the accumulated store of energy put away for safety and emergency. This stored up energy is Reserve Energy.1

Read Mae-wan Ho's the Rainbow and the Worm for a more quantum enlightened version of quantum biology.

Boris' apparent classical energy transitions are classically thermal, but viewed from Mae-wan's more recent investigations rather appear as more quantum coherent. See our cohera and entropa. See our review of Mae-wan's tRatW. Cellular energy transactions often appear as zero entropic. That implies failure of J. C. Maxwell's 2nd 'Law' of thermodynamics. 'Science's' classical 'laws' are failing everywhere-associatively n¤wings at Millennium III's quantum tsunadigm beginning.

Why? 'Laws' aræ ESQ social patterns! Academia which produces such 'laws' aræ ESQ social patterns! Disciplinary matrices which keep 'scientists' in SOM's latest paradigmatic box aræ ESQ social patterns. Society, due its Demos-will (i.e., communis vitæ will AKA democratic will AKA social will) ESQ social patterns is innately unscientific!

7 The late Charles S. Minot, the American histologist, points out this reserve energy present in the organism, a reserve energy of growth called forth under special emergencies of life.
8 By a striking series of instructive facts, Dr. Meltzer points out that "all organs of the body are built on the plan of superabundance of structure and energy." Like Minot, Meltzer refers to the significant fact that most of our active organs possess a great surplus of functioning cells. This surplus is requisite for the safety of the individual. Meltzer offers a glimmer of a quantum future...
9 If, however, the drain of energy still goes on without replenishing the total store, the energy drawn on the region of the danger zone is entered. This energy is Static. The concomitant symptoms are various psychomotor and psycho-secretory disturbances of a psychopathic or psycho-neurotic character. This energy is drawn from the upper levels of energy. Under such conditions restitution of the total amount of energy to its normal level is still possible.

More Sidisean putatives...

But he does di-stinguish dynamic and static...glimmers...

10 1The principle of reserve energy was developed independently by my friend, William James, and myself. Boris exhibits paranoid sensitivity to ownership of a notion of 'reserve energy.'
335 11 Should the process of liberation of energy go on further without restitution, the energy drawn is taken from the lower levels of static energy, and the symptoms are functional, neuropatltic. The lowermost levels of static energy are the last the cell can dispense with to save itself from total destruction. ‘With further increase of discharge of energy the cell must give its very life activity, the energy is drawn from the breaking up of cell tissue; this energy is organic or necrotic.

We are not biologists in any sense of that word, but we think Boris' ideas here are somewhat misguided and misguiding.

Boris probably did not know about cellular apoptosis. (He did know about catabolisis; he spelled it with a 'k.') In any human, roughly 1013 cells commit intracellular programed (telomeric) chromosomal suicide and are replaced every second [That estimate by Doug is incorrect! It assumes a human body has 1021 cells. As of early 2006 a human body apparently has about 1014 cells. Now we have to restate our apoptosis cycle estimate as 106 cell apoptosis cycles per second. Still high, but nowhere near as many as Doug originally estimated. See our OEDC link for detail.]! (Assumes total replacement of non skeletal cells about twice per year.) Gives a whole n¤vel semantic to "human identity" doesn't it? When aræ you who? Whennings aræ y-our whoings? Whereings aræ y-our whoings whennings? (Latter comtains shades of Zeno's paradice, Bell's inequalities, Poisson's n¤n c¤mmutative bracket, quantum umcærtainties, quantum superposition, amd quantum superluminality. All quantum prevaricative and equivocal!) Do you see a need for lingual "ings" almost ubiquitously?

So much for classical stability...

12 Thus the total energy of the nerve cell or the neuron may be divided into normal dynamic energy, reserve energy, static energy, and organic or necrotic energy. The various nervous and mental diseases may thus be correlated with the flow and ebb of neuron energy, with the physiological and pathological processes that take place in the neuron in the course of its activity and reactions to the stimuli of the external and internal environment. (Our bold violet of classical problematic.)
13 The various levels of neuron energy may be represented by the diagram on page 336.
14 Static energy is indicated by the diagram NWFI. By organic energy is meant that energy contained in the very structure of the tissues of the neuron, not as yet decomposed into their inorganic constituents. This is indicated by diagram IFGH.
H I N K L
G F W A M
H I N K L
G F W A M
15 These phases of neuron energy are not different kinds of energy, in the sense of being distinct entities; they merely represent progressive phases or stages of the same process of neuron activity.
336 16 Liberation of neuron energy is correlative with active psychic and physical manifestations. Hence

This diagram is a copy of Boris' original. In his book it is shown 90° CCW from how we show it. He must have assumed his readers would rotate their texts to see it as we have shown it. We could have assumed you would rotate your laptop...

Pattern of his capital letter script is:

H I N K L
G F W A M

17

18 states of the nervous system corresponding to liberations of energy are designated as waking states. Restitution of expended energy or arrest of liberation of neuron energy goes hand in hand with passive conditions of the nervous system; hence states of restitution or arrest of energy are termed collectively sleeping states.
337 19 The ascending [now east] arrow, indicating the process of restitution of energy, corresponds to the ascending arrow on the right, indicating the parallel psychomotor sleeping states. The descending arrows [now west] indicate physiological and pathological processes of liberation of energy, and also their concomitant psychomotor waking states. (Our brackets.)
20 "Ascending" [east] and "descending" [west] mean the rise and fall of the amount of neuron energy, taking the upper [east] level of dynamic energy as the starting point. Briefly stated, descent [west] means liberation of energy with its concomitant, psychomotor, waking states. Ascent [east] means restitution of energy with its parallel sleeping states. (Our brackets.)
21 The cycles in dynamic energy correspond to the physiological manifestations of the nervous system in the activity and rest of the individual in normal daily life. Concomitant with the expenditure of dynamic energy of the neurons, the individual passes through the active normal waking state, and hand in hand with the restitution of this expended energy, he passes through the sleeping states of normal daily life. Maxwellian...
 338 22 When, however, in the expenditure of energy, the border line or margin is crossed, dynamic and reserve energies are used up. In crossing KA the ordinary normal energies of everyday life are exhausted, and reserve energy has to be drawn upon. If this reserve energy is not accessible, the static energy is used, or in case the reserve energy is exhausted, then once more the static energy has to be drawn upon; in either case the individual enters the domain of the abnormal, of the pathological.
H I N K L
G F W A M
23 When the upper levels of static energy are used, the symptoms are of a psychopathic or neurotic character. When the use of energy reaches the lower levels of static energy, affecting the very nutrition of the neuron, neuropathic manifestations are the result. When the neuron itself is affected, that is the organic structure is being dissolved, then organopathies result. It means the death of the nerve cell.

When one studies how Boris taught William, one finds that he asks his student to go beyond weariness to really learn. This jibes Jeffrey Satinover's genius as bordering induced insanity, specifically induced schizophrenia. Interesting notion, regardless.

Perhaps Boris feels some guilt at any appearance of "pushing William too far." Socialists love to look at it that way. Our own experience is that it's a lot like athletic training. One must always attempt to better one's previous personal best.

That is Pirsig's prescient unit of Nature's own incremental morality. Any prior pattern issi always amd only tentatively privileged. Quantum changæ issi abs¤lute.

Allow us two more comments re: society...

Classical society is community: common sense unity.

Quantum society issi extraunity: extraordinary sense unity.

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To contact Quantonics write to or call:

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

©Quantonics, Inc., 2003-2009 Rev. 8Jan2008  PDR Created: 9Sep2003  PDR
(20Dec2003 rev - Rearrange para. 6 Mae-wan thermal energy comments for clarity. Repair para. 6 'entropa' link.)
(20Dec2003 rev - Add qualifying para. 11 red text parenthetical on 'catabolisis.')
(9Mar2006 rev - Update p. 335 comments on apoptosis cycle rate per second. Reset legacy red text.)
(12Oct2006 rev - Update p. 332, para. 1 metabolism as both anabolisis and catabolisis. Massive respell.)
(8Jan2008 rev - Minor reformating.)

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