The Revolution of Human Science

Three-hundred years ago, a visionary researcher discovered that each mind builds itself from its own experiences. He deduced from his discovery that two minds could not be identical and that we humans could not obey universal rules. Our destinies, and the future of our world, could never be predicted. But since his discovery, researchers increasingly observed universal ways of thinking, narrating stories and managing all kinds of activities. How was this possible if each mind was unique?

For 300 years, the problem endured, leaving scientists to explore human societies ever deeper. Pioneers in psychology, linguistics and economics eventually demonstrated that a universal logic of the human mind must exist. They identified key properties. But they could not propose a unified solution. They worked in very different fields and ignored each other’s works. We can connect their discoveries at last and propose a unified, factual, global explanation.

Part I – The Logic of the Mind

The human mind follows a universal logic. Although life experiences may be almost infinitely diverse, the mind always treats information in a specific way. The mind thus structures itself according to a universal pattern.

The logic of the mind is binary; it must interpret events as good against evil. It must also detect wills behind all events. It therefore interprets them in the light of a heroic scenario. Each one thinks and acts as if they were the Hero of History, destined to reveal, fight and destroy the source of all evils, the Enemy.

It is the fundamental logic, the one which organizes all ideas. Yet, people cannot be conscious of it. They feel that the world is just that way; they cannot recognize that it is their mind at work. Although all their thoughts and actions betray it, they do not know that they desire above all to be the Hero of History.

This universal logic can be observed as it shapes all associations of ideas (Part I), all narratives (Part II). It also induces a universal dynamic in all human activities (Parts III-V).

Concrete cases covered in this part: experiments about associations of ideas, perceptions, empathy and consciousness, personal stories

Part II – To be the Hero of History

The universal logic shapes the vision of the world each one develops. From childhood to adulthood, people pursue the same fundamental goal: to save their loved ones from evil. Only the complexity of the scenario they imagine changes.

Each story, fictional or historical, is based on the same primary notions: a unique world, a unique history, and oneself, the Hero, fighting a unique, intimate, hidden Enemy.

Fiction and historical accounts differ only on one point. There is no hero in historical accounts. No one would ever pass on accounts which make someone else the Hero of History. This role, each one unknowingly reserves for themselves.

Concrete cases: fairy tales, movies and national histories

Part III – Making History

People need friends, people with whom they can share everything. Only with friends can they to feel confident, can they know right from wrong, and be certain not to be manipulated by the Enemy, who hides and manipulates his victims.

As they find companions, humans also make adversaries. Humans are social and political animals. They must build alliances, which are always bipolar. One side builds up in reaction to the other. The more they interact, the more they react to each other’s moves, and discover who the Enemy really is. Unknowingly, they converge on a new vision of History and disagree only about which side is the rightful one.

The more both sides interact, the more each one can recognize good and evil, and the more easily both sides attract followers. The belief that people should be reasonable only adds to reciprocal hostility. Alliances and conflicts grow until they end up in the victory of one side and the defeat of the other. But peace never lasts. A new cycle of bipolar conflict starts as the previous one ends.

Concrete cases: experiments, personal stories, stories from nationalist movements, US Civil War, World War I, World War II, Cold War

Part IV – A General Mobilization

Each one believes they are extraordinary, different from ordinary people, who would be egoistic, materialistic and greedy, and would therefore be easily bought and manipulated by the Enemy. Each one believes that they, and their companions, are the only ones to be different, because they are aware of the danger.

Each one secretly dreams of being detached from material bounds. But one must also detach ordinary people from the Enemy. To attract them to the cause one feels one must provide more goods and service than the other side. Any policy necessarily entails the production and redistribution of assets. Each one therefore believes they must achieve the highest possible material position.

As conflict intensifies, each camp seeks to enlist more supporters by outcompeting the other side in production and redistribution. Economic activities rise and fall with the conflict. All activities tend to synchronize with the bipolar confrontation.

Concrete cases: fictional works and real events, World War II, 20th century economic trends

Part V – A General Competition

Companions are allies but also rivals in a general competition for distinction. No relationship is devoid of ambiguity. It is not only about being distinguished from ordinary people. It is also a competition to be distinguished from the companions and be recognized as a superior being.

Allies must exchange special favors, services, gifts, goods and positions, and, at the same time, outcompete each other to woo new allies. Trade and investments thus follow the shifting patterns of alliances and rivalries. Prices and volume produced change with them. The whole world of business, with its specific beliefs and habits, follows cycles that contribute to the general bipolarization. Allies are eventually driven to turn against each other, despite their desire to the contrary. Eventually, tensions between companions must trigger a new conflict.

Concrete cases: exchanges of gifts and goods in the Pacific and in Europe, ceremonies, table manners, investors’ beliefs and market dynamics