The “Books Behind” interview with Arthur M. Young consists of 21 video clips, of which the most interesting ones have been starred and marked in orange. Recorded December 12, 1982.

01. “The misuse of science would be making weapons…” (0:58)

Deterministic science deprives us of our humanity and undermines our moral fiber.

https://youtu.be/piOWT5IXWg4
Science, Education

02. “I have to relieve myself of certain prejudices” (1:54)

American education has the wrong focus. We ask how to fix what we’re doing instead of asking whether we should be doing it. America was created before all this education.

https://youtu.be/h_OvT6hiN_U
Education, Reform

03. “Let’s see if we can make some kind of order out of this…” (2:16)

We presume that education has something of benefit. True education requires mutual interchange. The doctrine is also wrong, as is the presumption of universal education.

https://youtu.be/PPK-d9gDIOI
Education, Doctrine

04. “People need problems…” (0:55)

Since our education is over many lifetimes, we need new, more difficult problems to perfect the monad.

https://youtu.be/N0-xqS-ixK0
Education, Reincarnation

05. “Dean Jahn, who is a real engineer, has moved over into doing experiments with ESP…” (5:05)

The dragon and science. Dean Robert Jahn made purely statistical efforts to prove ESP. The Dragon cartoon. For most people Science is the dragon. Even other scientists are intimidated by quantum physics. We are blocked off from a part of ourselves. Learned helplessness – we are reliant on experts.

https://youtu.be/wxmZibvCAf0
Dean Jahn, Parapsychology, Science, Education, Mathematics

06. “If you look at the way we know…” (3:59)

Integrating the sciences. Four kinds of relationship, four kinds of action, four kinds of state. The derivatives of position with respect to time. Position, velocity, acceleration and control are all you need. Each is perceived differently. You sense position, compute velocity, feel acceleration and do control. Relate to Jung’s four functions.

https://youtu.be/RWqXlsHK3fE
Fourfold, Derivatives, Psychology, Jung, Functions

07. “From the four functions of Jung…” (1:42)

The four bodies, physical, mind, soul and spirit. Basis for both psychology and religion. The ultimate goal of personal evolution. Psychology should be the study of the Soul.

https://youtu.be/XsJcLl5Mk_c
Jung, Four Functions, Omega Point, Psychology

08. “After I’d finished the helicopter…” (1:23)

At the school for helicopters AY took the test. What’s the difference between the Young rotor and the Sikorsky rotor. “Don’t you know?” The implicit trust in teachers.

https://youtu.be/Y5RliLM9Oyg
Helicopter, Teaching

09. “What I’m aiming at is the thinking coming from government…” (1:59)

Dinner with the head of the National Science Foundation. Subject of reincarnation. How do you account for Mozart? Gaussian distribution.

https://youtu.be/SDxPiKYjS1s
National Science Foundation, Reincarnation

10. “I would like to let the viewer ask himself…” (1:41)*

Do we have any room for something that hasn’t been allowed by science. Rationality doesn’t allow for first cause. We must allow for occasional things that don’t follow reason, or we will be slaves to intellect.

Science, First Cause, Reason

11. “I’m trying to talk about a theory that’s complete…” (5:17)*

Rationality tells you what the ratio of A to B is, but it doesn’t tell you what either one is. This requires a different kind of knowing. Value (or size) is a different Function. This requires direct participation.

Rationality, Knowing, Value, Length/Longing

12. “What happens when the same science that is totally relational statements…” (6:49)*

Rational science can’t deal with Force. It must be experienced. Knowledge is one aspect, feeling is another. Sensation is a third. Feeling is opposite of sensation. Sensation says NO to your projections. The opposite of rationality is that which is novel – hence First Cause.

Rationality, Force, Participation, Aspects of Knowing, Opposites, Projection

13. “The word “right” means a right angle…” (1:41)

The right angle means not being pulled one way or the other. A judge cannot accept payments from the people he was judging. (Bacon) Anything that mediates or measures has to be at right angles to the thing being measured.

https://youtu.be/hObXuxJ0EKw
Rightness, Right Angle, Mediation

14. “Do you believe we’re on the brink of a new age…?” (4:30)

I don’t believe in making predictions from what I know. Aquarian age would be primarily intellectual. AY would hope for Significance – the fruit of Intellect. Science, in the Piscean age, is a belief system. Aquarian age won’t emerge for a couple of hundred years.

https://youtu.be/eftC1FR9WxM
Aquarian Age, Astrology, Significance, Piscean Age

15. “Suppose you were trying to write the Iliad or the Odyssey without reference with the gods…” (0:47)*

We are trying to write our own story without reference to anything higher.

The Gods, Higher Powers

16. “You’ve mentioned that science has left out what’s non-objective…?” (4:24)*

How do proteins evolve independently of the need for them? Something pulling from above. Dream – the ghost of astrology. Our true father has been displaced by the new authority, science. Beings beyond us create the course to further our evolution – hence the appreciation of astrology as honoring powers beyond man.

Pull from Above, The Gods, Evolution, Astrology

17. “Would you give us an introduction to astrology in terms of philosophy…?” (5:01)*

Postulates divide the field. So astrology should have no postulates. Begin by dividing the whole in three – past, present and future – hence experience in time. Fourfold division makes two dimensions, making analysis possible. Limitation takes two dimensions. Zodiacal signs have this threefold and fourfold nature.

Astrology 1/5, Postulates, Divisions of Totality, Three-ness, Time, Fourfold, Identity, Zodiac

18. “This circle of totality is the background of meaning…” (3:32)*

The zodiac is the palette. Against that background is the planets whose periods are just right for beings with lifespans of 80 years. Amazing accuracy. Planets are hands of a clock describing cyclical occurrences. The “social” planets have longer periods, Uranus and Neptune affect large scale changes in civilization.

Astrology 2/5, Planets, Phases/Cycles

19. “The conjunctions of Uranus and Neptune progress…” (6:11)

The conjunctions of Uranus and Neptune progress at one sign every 330 years. Good way to look at civilization. Last one in early Capricorn, 1822, beginning of industrial age. Previous one 1490, exploration. Scorpio – black plague. Libra – early renaissance. These planets not part of ancient lore of astrology. Uranus discovered at time when self determination was becoming a factor in society. Neptune discovered 1848, the time of spiritualism, and beginning of communism and community of man.

https://youtu.be/ef2j4F7eE8Y
Astrology 3/5, Planets, Civilization, Epochs, Uranus/Neptune, Conjunctions

20. “Rather than assign a specific meaning to Pluto…” (3:21)

The meanings of the planets. Pluto=mandate. It only makes aspects with other planets once in a lifetime. Uranus period is 84 years, hence it’s what you can define as yourself. Neptune, at 185 years, you can’t encompass. Saturn marks out a career.

https://youtu.be/ALtO14hY-8s
Astrology 4/5, Planets, Conjunctions, Human Lifespan

21. “One more subject to handle is the houses…” (6:20)

The nature of the “houses.” 12 houses aren’t all of equal size. Houses deal with different kinds of relationship. First is self, seventh is other, fourth is home/mother, tenth is profession/father. Cadent houses – not quite on equal footing. Succeedent houses are the fruit of one’s efforts. Only Astrology describes and defines these different kinds of relationship.

https://youtu.be/lS1k4S6gpYk
Astrology 5/5, The 12 Houses, Relationships

Credits

The Yoga of Thinking: Arthur M. Young Video Archive is a project of Anodos Foundation. All video material is copyrighted by Hypersphere and is licensed to Anodos for this Archive.

  • Producer/interviewer: Arthur Bloch
  • Principle camerawork: Mike Shedlin
  • Additional camerawork: Randy Elliott