The Neurolinguistic Training of Alfred Korzybski

Alfred Korzybski is a fascinating and often underestimated figure when it comes to the historical roots of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and influenced the thinkers and practitioners who later developed NLP.

Alfred Habdank Skarbek Korzybski was born on July 3, 1879, as Alfred Władysław Augustyn Korzybski in Warsaw (Poland).

He is considered the pioneer of general semantics. This discipline explores the interrelationships between language, thinking, and behavior. Korzybski was not only a talented Polish engineer but also a dedicated scientist who emigrated to the United States in the early 1900s and developed his groundbreaking ideas there.

As the son of a Polish aristocratic family, he grew up in the picturesque surroundings of Warsaw. He was fluent in four languages. His academic success in Polish and Russian was complemented by the instruction of his governesses in German and French. This linguistic diversity strongly influenced his philosophical works.

After his engineering studies at the University of Warsaw, he was drafted into the Russian army during World War I.

There, he experienced three wounds and was sent as a military expert to North America in 1916 to organize the shipment of artillery to Russia. At the same time, Korzybski was engaged in an intensive research and study program that led him to the fields of psychology, neurology, and linguistics.

Korzybski was searching for new insights, but he quickly realized that he first needed to rephrase the existing concepts linguistically.

The deeper he delved into his studies, the more he became aware of the close and complex connections between word symbols, the human nervous system, and language in human behavior.

These insights fascinated him and drove him to better understand the role of language in our lives.

During his stay in Washington, D.C., he met the American artist Mira Edgerly in 1918, whom he married shortly afterward. Although he planned to return to Poland after the war, he decided to stay in the USA due to the uncertain political situation.

Alfred Korzybski is a fascinating and often underestimated figure when it comes to the historical roots of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and influenced the thinkers and practitioners who later developed NLP.

Alfred Habdank Skarbek Korzybski was born on July 3, 1879, as Alfred Władysław Augustyn Korzybski in Warsaw (Poland).

He is considered the pioneer of general semantics. This discipline explores the interrelationships between language, thinking, and behavior. Korzybski was not only a talented Polish engineer but also a dedicated scientist who emigrated to the United States in the early 1900s and developed his groundbreaking ideas there.

As the son of a Polish aristocratic family, he grew up in the picturesque surroundings of Warsaw. He was fluent in four languages. His academic success in Polish and Russian was complemented by the instruction of his governesses in German and French. This linguistic diversity strongly influenced his philosophical works.

After his engineering studies at the University of Warsaw, he was drafted into the Russian army during World War I.

There, he experienced three wounds and was sent as a military expert to North America in 1916 to organize the shipment of artillery to Russia. At the same time, Korzybski was engaged in an intensive research and study program that led him to the fields of psychology, neurology, and linguistics.

Korzybski was searching for new insights, but he quickly realized that he first needed to rephrase the existing concepts linguistically.

The deeper he delved into his studies, the more he became aware of the close and complex connections between word symbols, the human nervous system, and language in human behavior.

These insights fascinated him and drove him to better understand the role of language in our lives.

During his stay in Washington, D.C., he met the American artist Mira Edgerly in 1918, whom he married shortly afterward. Although he planned to return to Poland after the war, he decided to stay in the USA due to the uncertain political situation.

In 1920, Korzybski published his first book, "Manhood of Humanity." This book is a compelling and profound work that addresses human nature, the development of thinking, and the importance of language. Korzybski argues that the human ability to think and communicate – especially through language – is what distinguishes us from other animals. He describes how our ability to think abstractly and use symbols allows us to not only influence our environment but also transform ourselves. This ability is a key to our survival and development as a species.

Korzybski explores the evolutionary development of humans and argues that the ability to speak and abstract has had a decisive influence on our social and cultural development. He shows how these abilities have allowed us to form complex societies and preserve our knowledge across generations. In this context, he emphasizes the responsibility that comes with our linguistic ability: We should be aware of the power of words and learn to use them constructively.

Another important aspect of Korzybski's argument is the connection between thinking, feeling, and acting. He acknowledges that our emotional states influence our thought processes and vice versa. By working on our language and thinking, we can better understand and control our emotions, leading to a healthier and more balanced life.

Korzybski offers practical advice on how people can develop and improve their linguistic abilities to enhance their interpersonal relationships and personal growth. He encourages readers to practice critical thinking to question and expand their own "maps" of reality.

"Manhood of Humanity" is a powerful plea for the importance of language in our lives and the responsibility that comes with our ability to think and communicate. Korzybski's work is not only a theoretical treatise but also a practical guide for personal growth and social responsibility. It invites readers to engage with their own perception and the impact of their words to lead a more conscious and fulfilling life.

Overall, the book makes a significant contribution to philosophy and psychology and encourages reflection on the complex relationships between language, thinking, and human experience.

In 1933, "Science and Sanity," a groundbreaking work on non-aristotelian systems and general semantics, followed. Here, he integrated the most important linguistic insights of his time, views from analytical philosophy, as well as biological, neurological, and evolutionary biological insights into a therapeutic model. He called his concept "Neuro-Linguistic Training."

"Science and Sanity" is Korzybski's most famous work and laid the foundation for Korzybski's theories on the significance of language and its influence on our thinking and actions. He emphasized that language is not just a tool for communication but also shapes our perception of reality.

The theory of General Semantics is based on the assumption that our language and symbolic representation distort reality, and that our perception of the world is heavily shaped by these linguistic limitations. The famous expression "The map is not the territory" comes from Korzybski and is frequently quoted in NLP. He expresses that our mental representation of reality is not identical to reality itself and that our linguistic descriptions of the world can never capture the entire reality – a core idea embedded in NLP methods that focus on language patterns and perceptual frameworks. In 1938, he founded the "Institute for General Semantics" in Lakeville, Connecticut, which is now based in Fort Worth, Texas.

He also lectured at Harvard University, where his influence even reached writer William S. Burroughs, who attended one of his seminars in 1939. Korzybski's work continues to have a lasting impact on philosophy and linguistics.

Korzybski was a passionate advocate for the idea that understanding general semantics could help people think more clearly and communicate more effectively. To spread his ideas, he founded the Institute of General Semantics and gave numerous lectures and seminars.

Alfred Korzybski passed away on March 7, 1950, in Lakeville, Connecticut, but left behind a significant legacy in linguistics, psychology, and communication science. His work continues to influence numerous disciplines and contributes to a better understanding of the complex relationship between language and reality.

Neuro-Linguistic Training and its Connection to NLP

Korzybski himself used the term "Neuro-Linguistic Training" to describe methods for changing thinking patterns and perception. These concepts are similar to the later concept of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and reflect an early form of self-reflection and consciousness change through language.

General Semantics promoted a "conscious perception of perception" – a metacognitive understanding of how we think and communicate. NLP builds on a similar assumption: that the conscious use of language and thought structures enables changes in perception and behavior.

In NLP, the concept of the "map" is of great importance, as NLP practitioners work to understand and intentionally change their clients' internal maps to positively influence their reality and behavior. Korzybski understood language as a symbolic system that always represents only a portion and simplification of the complex reality.

NLP techniques such as reframing and working with language patterns directly aim to expand and improve the mental "map" of individuals.

Korzybski’s idea that our internal representations of reality are based on experiences is reflected in NLP’s core assumptions, which state that every person has a unique "map" of the world and that behavioral changes can often be achieved by redesigning this map. Another central element of General Semantics is the understanding of abstraction levels, which is closely related to the NLP model of logical levels developed by Robert Dilts. Korzybski emphasized that people think and communicate on different abstraction levels, and that misunderstandings often occur because these levels are mixed.

Korzybski was also one of the first thinkers to emphasize that our language often ignores time and context. He coined the term "Time-binding," referring to the human ability to pass knowledge across generations. This idea of "connecting through time" can be found in NLP, particularly in techniques such as Timeline and Reimprinting, which allow memories and experiences to be recontextualized. NLP methods that access past experiences and reinterpret them resemble Korzybski’s idea of time structures in language, as they recontextualize current experiences and create a new frame for perception.

The "General Semantics" developed by Korzybski and his understanding of language structure are closely connected to the NLP models that aim to use language precisely and purposefully. The NLP Meta-Model helps recognize and make conscious linguistic distortions, generalizations, and deletions – principles that were already addressed in Korzybski’s work.

Similarly, the Milton Model, which relies on hypnotic language patterns, was inspired by Korzybski’s understanding that language is often multifaceted and symbolic. NLP practitioners use this understanding to help people access unconscious resources and develop new perspectives.

Korzybski argued that while language is powerful, it is also limiting and distracts us from a more direct perception of reality. This assumption that language is both a tool and a trap is reflected in NLP philosophy, which also recognizes the power and pitfalls of linguistic structures and beliefs. In NLP, it is often emphasized that our language shapes our perception of reality and that through conscious changes in linguistic patterns, new paths in personal development can be created – a direct reflection of Korzybski’s insights.

Book Recommendation

A fundamental, indispensable presentation of General Semantics and important approaches that were later neglected by other authors. Science and Sanity: An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics Sixth Edition

Delivery of Korzybski's original presentation, which formed the basis for his methodological synthesis in Science and Sanity. Manhood of Humanity 2nd edition

Both books are available for full download in the members' area of World of NLP

Summary

Without a doubt, Alfred Korzybski is one of the forerunners of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and beyond. His concept of General Semantics forms the foundation for the later development of NLP. NLP, as a method that is aware of the power of language and aims to promote personal change through language patterns and perspective shifts, stands in an intellectual tradition that Korzybski greatly influenced.

Korzybski's influence on NLP highlights the profound connection between language and reality, which remains central to NLP practitioners today. His theories have expanded our understanding of the power of language and provide a basis for the NLP philosophy, which states that change is possible when we reshape the "map" of our reality and increase our awareness of linguistic structures. Although Korzybski's books are not widely circulated, they have inspired many scholars to delve deeper into the phenomena he described.

Robert A. Heinlein, the influential American science fiction author, honored Korzybski with the words: "You may not like him personally, but he is as significant a man as Einstein, perhaps even more so, since his sphere of influence is broader. He works in a manner similar to Einstein, but in a much more comprehensive field, closer to human relationships." Korzybski had a deep concern: the emotional liberation of people. Despite his influence and significant insights, he lived very simply and modestly.