Book Summary: Science and Sanity - An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics
“Science and Sanity: An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics” is a groundbreaking work that explores the limitations of Aristotelian logic and language and introduces the field of general semantics, which aims to improve human understanding and communication. It’s extremely useful for our day-to-day as software engineers, as it gives us a different perspective on the role of language in how we communicate with our peers.
Korzybski argues that Aristotelian logic, with its emphasis on the identity principle (A is A) and binary distinctions (true or false, black and white), is insufficient for accurately representing the complexity of the real world and can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.
For example, the statement “all men are mortal” can be challenged by the discovery of new facts, like advances in medical science that extend human life significantly.
For software engineers, this can manifest in miscommunication about software requirements, implementation details, bug reports or framework and tooling dogmas. By recognizing the limitations of binary thinking, engineers can better navigate the complexities of software development and improve communication with their peers.
