SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1941
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
PAGE THREE
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--man reactionality. Put here again we have a barrier, which when realized may be circumvented. Man Biologically Conditioned
Biological Factors Limit Human Freedom SO Redirect, Don't Ignore
--man reactionality. Put here again we have a barrier, which when realized may be circumvented. Man Biologically Conditioned
This is the third article in a series by Dr. J. F. Brown, professor of psychology, written especially for the Daily Kansan. Doctor Brown is the author of several books on psychology.
THE PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL LIMITS OF FREEDOM DR. J. F. BROWN
Our particular culture started with the postulates of a God-created earth-centered world and of man created by God in His image and endowed by Him with a rational mind which could, through free choice, shape his destiny.
Like the belief in human equality this series of beliefs may have moral and religious validity today, but is completely lacking in scientific validity.
The Copernican hypothesis of the heliocentric universe gave the impetus to modern physical science. The Darwinian hypothesis that man's body is animal and naturally, part of the biological continuum, became the foundation of modern biology. The Freudian hypothesis that the nature of man's mind depends on the nature of his animal body on the one hand and on the nature of his culture on the other limits decidedly the powers of human reactionality. Put here again we have a barrier, which when realized may be circumvented. Man Biologically Conditioned
Today we will be concerned with the limitations placed on human freedom by the nature of man's animal body. Next time we shall discuss the nature of his culture.
Modern psychology, particularly psychoanalysis, has shown that what man strives for is to a large extent biologically conditioned. And it has shown that man's deep biological strivings are destructive and aggressive as well as constructive and sympathetic. Whether or not these destructive urges are innate and instinctual or early acquired is still
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a matter for debate, but the end result is the same.
The forces of hate in the world today seem even stronger than the forces of love. Psychoanalysts have further shown that education of the individual requires the domestication of both the constructive and the aggressive urges. We have to learn not to kiss every pretty girl we pass on the streets and we have to learn to refrain from socking on the nose everyone who annoys us. In later columns we shall return to this domestication process.
Impulses Frustrated
In brief, what happens is that certain biological impulses are frustrated by social barriers. These, however, do not disappear but the knowledge of them is forced out of awareness into the unconscious mind. From the unconscious they not only influence further behavior indirectly but sometimes they break through in their original form. When this occurs in the individual we have outbursts of aggressive behavior, or assault, or even murder. When this occurs in groups we have mob behavior, riots and even wars
Society must subdue aggressivity to a certain extent if it is to continue. And it may subdue the constructive love impulses, as it does through the mores regulating erotic behavior, for long periods of time.
With the increasing industrialization of society requiring specialization of labor, residence in closely populated communities, and the renunciation of sexual behavior during the educative process, these frustrations may become very severe.
Too Many Inbibitions
In what may well be the most important essay of modern social philosophy, namely Freud's "Civilization and Its Discontents," it is argued that our modern culture is so topheavy with the frustration of basic biological drives that discontent is rampant and chaos is threatened. This idea of Freud's is of course not completely new; in fact modern literature is concerned with it.
Certain writers, particularly R. H. Lawrence have given poetic intuitive expression to Freud's scientific thesis. The cost of the domestication of urges arising from our animal bodies is thus a barrier to Utopia.
But here again the situation is not hopeless. Psychiatrists have shown that some of this energy may be sublimated be discharged in socially valuable channels; that some of it may be drained in sports, polemical oratory, and even just plain cursing; and some of it may be displaced onto inanimate objects from its original human targets. We shall approach Utopia, sooner, however, by admitting the forces of the human aggressive and constructive urges and redirecting these rather than by closing our eyes to their existence.
Plan To Enlarge Scholarship Fund
Plans to enlarge the Sayre memorial fund and draft new rules for its administration will be considered at a special meeting of the Kansas Pharmaceutical association convention at Wichita in March.
The revolving pharmacy student loan fund was established in memory of L. E. Sayre, former dean of the School of Pharmacy. At present it is small and available only to senior pharmacy students, to help them finish their school course.
Walter Varnum is chairman of the committee to consider revision of the fund, and L. D. Havenhill, former Pharmacy dean, is secretary-treasurer. Other members are Nolan A. Fitch, Topeka; Roy M. Riley, Wichita; and Wilson F. Sprague, Fredonia.
Record Albums
Franck ... Les Eolides (Symphonic Poem)
Dohnanyi ... Suite for Orchestra
Kodaly ... Suite for Hary Janos
Rachmaninoff ... Isle of the Dead
Dr. A. S. Welch Dies In Kansas City
Dr. Albert S. Welch, associate professor of medicine at the University medical school in Kansas City, died of pneumonia Friday after an illness of only five days.
He was a member of Delta Upsilon, social fraternity; Nu Sigma Nu, medical fraternity; and the Jackson County Medical society. He was former editor of the Jackson County Medical Bulletin.
Welch was a graduate of Northwestern University and the Rush Medical college and later took postgraduate work in Vienna and Stockholm.
Funeral services will be held Monday at the Wagner Chapel in Kansas City. Burial will be in Forest Hill cemetery.
Jan Chiapusso To Play Over KFKU Feb.14
Jan Chiapusso, professor of piano, will play over KFKU from 6 to 6:30 on Feb.14. The piano trio and the voice and piano program as originally scheduled for that time will not appear, Mildred Seaman, assistant program director of KFKU, announced yesterday.
First call for varsity baseball candidates. All men interested in trying out for the baseball team are asked to meet in room 203. Robinson gymnasium, at 7 o'clock. Tuesday evening.
NOTICE
Varsity Baseball Coach. Dr. Forrest C. Allen,
School of Business Placement Bureau To Meet Tuesday
The School of Business placement bureau will meet at 7:30 Tuesday night in the auditorium of Frank Strong hall.
This placement bureau is used primarily by students of the School of Business, but its services are open to any student and anyone who is interested is invited to attend the meeting.
F. T. Stockton, dean of the School of Business, will be the main speaker.
MILLER HALL—
Cupids at Miller Hall
(continued from page two)
formal made with a black face top,
short sleeves, and a full white net skirt.
Ruth Sheppard, dancing in the arms of Charles Ausley, wore a two-piece black and white flowered cotton print formal with midriff exposed.
Guests at Miller hall's party danced amid cupids, nosegays, and hearts. Clyde Byson's band featured "Indian Love Call," sooloing Rex Cowan at the drums.
The four housemothers chaperoning the Sig Alph party were Mrs. Eva Oakes, Sigma Alpha Epsilon; Mrs. P. H. Klunkenberg, Kappa Alpha Theta; Mrs. Edith Martin, Chi Omega, and Mrs. H. A. Russell, Alpha Tau Omega.
Mrs. E. D. Charles, Sigma Chi house mother, and Mrs. S. M. Stayton, Miller hall, chaperoned the Miller party.