About L. Ron Hubbard

The materials of Scientology comprise the largest written and spoken body of any single philosophic work. Those materials have further given rise to the only major religion founded in the twentieth century, and so stand as the spiritual cornerstone for several million adherents across all continents. It was additionally through the philosophy of Scientology that L. Ron Hubbard derived his solutions to criminality, drug addiction, illiteracy and social unrest—all now utilized by many million more in virtually every nation on earth. Yet when we examine the principles upon which that philosophy was founded, we find a truly simple conviction. In the first place, L. Ron Hubbard tells us, wisdom is meant for those who would reach for it, and should never be regarded with awe. Next, he tells us that philosophic knowledge is only relevant to our lives if we can actually apply it, for “learning locked in mildewed books is of little use to anyone.” Finally, he tells us that philosophy has no value unless workable or true, and if we come to know the truth about ourselves then the truth shall set us free.

Presented in the pages to follow are ten L. Ron Hubbard articles telling of his philosophic journey to the founding of Dianetics and Scientology. As word of introduction, let us first define philosophy as a love of wisdom or pursuit of wisdom, and say that it traditionally embraces all grand quests for truth. Next, and specifically within that context, let us appreciate the work of L. Ron Hubbard as standing in the oldest philosophic tradition, extending back to at least the dawn of religious thought. Finally, let us describe Scientology as an applied religious philosophy and understand it rests, not upon theory or assumption, but upon axioms derived from precise observation. Indeed, when we speak of Ron’s philosophic journey, we are actually speaking of the first deliberate and methodical examination of spiritual matters wherein the only criteria had been one of workability, i.e., did procedures derived from that quest actually better our capability to survive, actually make us happier, more causative and more able? In that regard, then, we are not speaking of philosophy in any generally conceived sense: a discourse on existence, a contemplation of reality or a statement of our place in this world. Nor are we speaking of what passes for philosophy in the face of a materialist creed wherein all philosophic thought becomes meaningless beyond such grim platitudes as: Your life is a biological accident, so you might as well get what you can before you die . Rather, we are dealing with philosophy as derived from a search for what is, for truths that are workable, relevant and applicable to every facet of our lives. Or as Ron himself expressed it, “We are dealing with discoveries.”

At the heart of those discoveries lies a truly startling vision of man as an intrinsically spiritual being who lives, not eighty or so years before death makes us nothing, but, in fact, forever. How we might realize that vision is through the process of auditing, which is the central practice of Scientology and defined as the application of Scientology procedures by an auditor, (from the Latin audire, to listen). Auditing is a highly precise activity and rests upon the principle that if we can truly grasp the source of what troubles us, then we are no longer troubled. The entirety of Scientology auditing and the training of auditors is delineated by the Scientology Bridge, which, in turn, describes a route to ever greater awareness and ability — whether, as Ron so provocatively phrased it, “the person remains a man or becomes something else.”

How L. Ron Hubbard arrived at that statement and what it means within the larger context of our lives is, of course, the primary subject of all that is presented here. As a last introductory word, however, let us emphasize the principal themes. First, those who imagine a remote and contemplative philosopher are about to be disabused; for when we speak of Ron’s philosophic journey, we are genuinely speaking of a journey — not a sifting of ideas in some academic cloister, but a study of existence from what he truthfully termed “the top down and the bottom up.” Next, those who see this subject as largely irrelevant (or at best faintly interesting), are about to be similarly disabused; for here is philosophy, not as a discussion of life, but as a tool for life. In fact, here is philosophy as life itself. Finally, and particularly for those already familiar with the works of L. Ron Hubbard, here are various rare essays, selections and discussions from all critical junctures of Ron’s philosophic path — from his earliest contemplative work, the now legendary Excalibur, through a deeply personal “My Only Defense for Having Lived,” to a never previously published conversation with renowned theologian, Dr. Stillson Judah. Additionally included are LRH notes on the phenomena of death, the revelation of past lives and our 1956 title piece, “The Rediscovery of the Human Soul” wherein he recounts a trek through what amounts to the whole of twentieth-century thought to finally arrive at what is a wholly extraordinary philosophic vista:

“We are studying the soul or spirit. We are studying it as itself.

“We are not trying to use this study to enhance some other study or belief. And we are telling the story of how it came about that the soul needed rediscovering.”

— L. Ron Hubbard

To find out more about L. Ron Hubbard visit www.LRonHubbard.org.