Dear Respondents: Several of the responses show how highly charged the subject of Hitler is. In that light, I really appreciate Helmut Raulien's comment:
"Read Ben Novak's dissertation first, Id say: It is really suspensefully written, like a detective story, and very enlightening." Thank you, Helmut, But for those who may find the subject distasteful, I feel I have to explain why it is nevertheless important, and why it is important for me to solicit the views of those dedicated to the study of Peirce. * * * The essential question that my book seeks to investigate is "Why was it that Hitler--of all people--was politically successful?" Let us hone in on this question. When Hitler joined the tiny German Workers Party in 1919, over 50 other political parties were formed in Munich alone, and 178 throughout Germany as a whole. This begs the question: What was there about Hitler that enabled him and his party to outdistance all the other parties and become the major force on the Right in Bavaria by 1923? By the same token, in the Reichstag election of 1930 when Hitler broke through a leader of the second largest party in Germany, there were 28 parties on the ballot, the 4 major parties, and 24 smaller parties, each of which hoped to break through because of he the onset of the Depression. In the election results, Hitler and his party left all those other parties in the dust. One cannot say that this was the product of conditions--the conditions were the same for all the parties. The question that I wanted to investigate was this: Why was Hitler able to take advantage of the conditions (that were the same for all parties) better than anyone else? I devote the first chapter of my book to presenting the failure of scholars up to this point in giving a meaningful answer to that question. Thus H. R. Trevor Roper wrote way back in 1953: Who was Hitler? The history of his political career is abundantly documented and we cannot escape from its terrible effects. And yet, … how elusive his character remains! What he did is clear; every detail of his political activity is now—thanks to a seizure of documents unparalleled in history—historically established; his daily life and personal behavior have been examined and exposed. But still, when asked not what he did but how he did it, or rather how he was able to do it, historians evade the question, sliding away behind implausible answers. In 1998, nearly half a century later, Ron Rosenbaum in *Explaining Hitler* confirmed that no progress had been made: Rosenbaum describes the same two unanswered questions as (1) “The real search for Hitler—the search for who he was”, and (2) “the question of his advent and success,” and the failure of historians to answer them as the biggest mysteries of the century: Is it conceivable, more than half a century after Hitler’s death, after all that has been written and said, that we are still wandering in this trackless wilderness, this garden of forking paths, with no sight of our quarry? Or, rather, alas, with too many quarries: the search for Hitler has apprehended not one coherent, consensus image of Hitler, but rather many different Hitlers, competing embodiments of competing visions, Hitlers who might not recognize each other well enough to say “Heil!” if they came face to face in Hell. What has not been dealt with is the question of what was there about this man, and what was different about his approach to politics, that made him so much more attractive and successful than any of the others? What was his "secret," or his "trick"? So far, historians simply confess they don't know. This was the challenge I took up in my dissertation. I spent fourteen years researching it, thanks to a very patient dissertation committee. I began with a clue: Konrad Heiden was a journalist who covered Hitler from the very beginning of his career, and wrote the first books warning the world of the danger of this man, whom he called "the greatest mass-disturber in world history". Nevertheless, in his first book, *The History of National Socialism*, where Heiden asks: "What natural gifts determined Hitler's fate?" His answer is quite surprising. What distinguishes Hitler from the others, Heiden writes, is "quite a different characteristic than demagogic sureness of aim--namely logic." Indeed, Heiden writes, "His utterly logical way of thought is Hitler's strength.." How could logic be the basis of Hitler's strength, i.e., his political success? That is the challenge I undertook: to find out how this man could be conceived of as logical at all. But by this time, I was thoroughly familiar with Sherlock Holmes dictum: "We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." I won't go through the long process, but eventually I discovered Umberto Eco and Thomas Sebeok, *The Sign of Three, *and from that, Peirce. . Then it all fell into place. The power of Hitler's oratory and ideas stemmed from abduction. As the first person to apply adductive logic to politics, it should then come as no surprise that he rose to power in "The Golden Age of the Detective Novel.' I am not going to go further into it here, for that is the purpose of the book. You can read a copy of my dissertation at the site Mara Woods found: http://access.cjh.org/home.php?type=extid&term=1055795#1 and you can read about 70 pages of the published book by clicking on the picture of the book at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hitler-Abductive-Logic-Strategy-Tyrant/dp/0739192248 or simply buy the book. I would be extremely grateful to hear from Peircean experts on my handling of the logic. I also dare to hope that some one of you may perhaps write a review of the book for Transactions or some other publication--since I hope that what I present in this work may be of broader interest, and that if I am judged successful in solving the problems I set out, that such a book will quicken greater interest in Charles Sanders Peirce and the logic of abduction. Thanks to all who have responded so far. Ben *Ben Novak <http://bennovak.net>* 5129 Taylor Drive, Ave Maria, FL 34142 Telephones: Magic Jack: (717) 826-5224 *Best to call and leave messages.* Landline: 239-455-4200 *My brother's main phone line.* Mobile (202) 509-2655* I use this only on trips--and in any event messages arrive days late.* Skype: BenNovak2 *"All art is mortal, **not merely the individual artifacts, but the arts themselves.* *One day the last portrait of Rembrandt* *and the last bar of Mozart will have ceased to be — **though possibly a colored canvas and a sheet of notes may remain — **because the last eye and the last ear accessible to their message **will have gone." *Oswald Spengler On Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 11:34 AM, Stephen Jarosek <sjaro...@iinet.net.au> wrote: > Stephen, you make my point impeccably. ‘nuff said ;) > > > > *From:* Stephen C. Rose [mailto:stever...@gmail.com] > *Sent:* Thursday, 9 July 2015 5:27 PM > *To:* Stephen Jarosek; Peirce List > > *Subject:* Re: [PEIRCE-L] Recently published: Hitler and Abductive Logic > > > > Again this topic is too huge and important to allow any generalization to > stand without question. Consider our mentor Peirce. Here I will place in > quotes the statements in this post that I find questionable: > > > > "a new kind of totalitarianism." > > > > "how benign and “normal” evil can be." > > > > "internet, drones in the sky, a hedonistic cultural narrative that > conceals secret opinions and hidden agendas, political correctness, and so > on." > > > > "History really is repeating, and it’s not just a figure of speech:" > > > > "the smug besuited receive accolades for their progressive initiatives" > > > > "evil is not some other place or some other time. It is here and it is > now." > > > > Briefly, I see evil as harm and measurable. There is some possibility that > it is being addressed more now than in the past. Evil is neither benign nor > normal. It has grades from the worst which is killing to the more modest > which rises from selfishness and thoughtlessness. Political correctness is > entirely contextual and hardly wrong in many circumstances. > > > > Lumping things into a litany simply mandates, if we are willing, a > discussion of each element. I think the Internet is a plus. The evil done > by drones is measurable and relative. "And do on" implies an unending > jeremiad and reminds me a bit of Christopher Lasch or the current > perorations of Chris Hedges. Neither in my view are particularly salient in > understanding where we are and where we are going. > > > > We are not particularly awash in progressive developments, more's the pity. > > > > History does not repeat to the point that we can speak of eternal return. > Time is chronological, continuity is reality and fallibility is in my view > a more accurate description of conditions than the word evil. > > > > Cheers, S > > > > > Books http://buff.ly/15GfdqU Art: http://buff.ly/1wXAxbl > > Gifts: http://buff.ly/1wXADj3 > > > > On Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 10:59 AM, Stephen Jarosek <sjaro...@iinet.net.au> > wrote: > > Edwina wrote: > > “...well, fascism is hardly new. And the current Islamic fascism and ISIS > in the Middle East and Africa is our modern example of the Third Reich.” > > Frequently, people write as if fascism is in the past, or in other > cultures but not our own. I personally suspect that we are witnessing the > emergence of a new kind of totalitarianism. We are IN it and so we are in a > position, if we step back calmly, to observe how benign and “normal” evil > can be. What was that phrase... “the banality of evil.” THIS one is > scary... internet, drones in the sky, a hedonistic cultural narrative that > conceals secret opinions and hidden agendas, political correctness, and so > on. History really is repeating, and it’s not just a figure of speech: > > > http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/fox-news-host-meygan-kelly-asks-what-about-mens-rights-after-yesmeansyes-sexual-consent-law-is-signed-in-new-york-10375817.html?icn=puff-3 > > Are we being melodramatic if we suggest that we are seeing precisely the > same tactics that were employed by the Nazis in dehumanising their victims? > But let us be careful here... these are men (ultimately) doing it to men... > it’s a kind of gendercide by cowards, no blood need be shed, while the smug > besuited receive accolades for their progressive initiatives. So speaking > for myself, I have little sympathy for men, given that they are both the > doers and the doees (who allow it to happen)... it’s complicated, and it is > cultural (not gender). But the bottom line is that no, evil is not some > other place or some other time. It is here and it is now. Welcome to the > zombie apocalypse. > > sj > > > > *From:* Stephen C. Rose [mailto:stever...@gmail.com <stever...@gmail.com>] > > *Sent:* Tuesday, 7 July 2015 5:30 PM > *To:* Edwina Taborsky; Peirce List > *Subject:* Re: [PEIRCE-L] Recently published: Hitler and Abductive Logic > > > > This is interesting in itself. It could stand alone as something to > discuss. There are many angles. There is the intriguing idea that something > economic creates thuggery (I am condensing) and the assumption that the > emotions behind evil actions are stronger than those what might tend toward > reason, sweetness and light. I do not have any fixed opinion. What I like > the idea of fixing is how to deal with minnows in a forum such as this. > They slither about and we need to find a way to catch them and let them > grow into conversations which have the benefit of not merely noting > interesting things but allowing them to mature into conclusions that no one > had before the conversation began. > > > Books http://buff.ly/15GfdqU Art: http://buff.ly/1wXAxbl > > Gifts: http://buff.ly/1wXADj3 > > > > On Tue, Jul 7, 2015 at 11:07 AM, Edwina Taborsky <tabor...@primus.ca> > wrote: > > It is a fascinating topic but is it really as mysterious as Ben Novak > claims? After all, the idea of fascism, an ideology that assumes a previous > lost purity and perfection of life within a societal order, ...and declares > that IF this purity-of-behaviour/belief can be reinserted into the society, > THEN, perfection of life will ensue...well, fascism is hardly new. And the > current Islamic fascism and ISIS in the Middle East and Africa is our > modern example of the Third Reich. > > > > I'd say that such an ideology emerges in a population that has moved > beyond the carrying capacity of its economic mode; the resultant imbalance > and the inability of the govt to remedy this, results in an alienation of > people from reality and a movement into irrationalism and emotion. These > emotions are primal, far more basic than reason and science; so, thugs and > violence will never disappear. > > > > So - the belief emerges, within the Peircean abductive 'a priori' (this > fascist way of life will work!)..and rather than moving on to that > ideology being evaluated by the scientific method, it is stopped in its > tracks. The ideology is then reinforced by Authority and Tenacity. ...and > the people are lost in terrible violence. > > > > What we also may not realize is that tribalism, the idea of 'Us' versus' > Them is basic to the human species, since our knowledge base is not innate > but is learned socially. So, this social group that holds our knowledge is > vital. Its power over us, as an individual, is important. This group is > 'the tribe'; we must trust the veracity of their knowledge...and we don't > trust other tribes. So, knowledge/beliefs are held by virtue of Peirce's > false methods far more often than they are held by the non-tribal method of > science. > > > > Edwina > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* Jerry LR Chandler <jerry_lr_chand...@me.com> > > *To:* PEIRCE-L <peirce-l@list.iupui.edu> > > *Cc:* Ben Novak <trevriz...@gmail.com> > > *Sent:* Tuesday, July 07, 2015 10:20 AM > > *Subject:* Re: [PEIRCE-L] Recently published: Hitler and Abductive Logic > > > > > > Ben: > > > > Fascinating topic... will attempt to download thesis. > > > > from the post by Stephen Jarosek: > > > > “Unlike the other forms of logic, abduction is based on instinct and has a > power over emotions.” > > > > Is this your statement? > > > > Is this your belief? > > > > In your view, what are the linguistic / rhetorical constraints on this > form of logic? > > > > In other words, what binds this view of abduction to other forms of logic? > > > > Cheers > > > > Jerry > > > > > > > > On Jul 5, 2015, at 9:35 PM, Ben Novak wrote: > > > > Dear Stephen: > > > > I agree that the price is outrageously high. Unfortunately, the publisher > sets the price, and I have no control over that. It is my hope that soon > the price may come down.....but, again, I cannot fathom the logic of the > publisher. > > > > In the meantime, the book is available either in your library, or through > interlibrary loan.(You may also request your university library or local > public library to obtain a copy) You may also check the worldcat to find a > library that has it near you. > > > > If for any reason there is a shortage of copies of the book through > interlibrary loan, you may also request a copy of the text of my original > dissertation, which is entitled *The Third Logic: Adolf Hitler and > Abductive Logic,* Doctoral Dissertation, The Pennsylvania State > University, 1999. Be advised that this version has a host of clerical > errors, and is missing the final chapter, which I added to the book version > for publication by Lexington. > > > > Additionally, I have been advised by someone that a copy of the > dissertation is also available somewhere on the internet where > dissertations are digitally archived, though I have been unable to locate > where exactly this is. > > > > Finally, I will be glad to send a review copy to anyone who will commit to > writing a publishable review of the book for *Transactions* or some other > publication. > > > > Thanks for your interest. > > > > Ben Novak > > > > > > > > > *Ben Novak <http://bennovak.net/>* > > 5129 Taylor Drive, Ave Maria, FL 34142 > > Telephones: > > Magic Jack: (717) 826-5224 *Best to call and leave messages.* > > Landline: 239-455-4200 *My brother's main phone line.* > > Mobile (202) 509-2655* I use this only on trips--and in any event > messages arrive days late.* > > Skype: BenNovak2 > > > *"All art is mortal, not merely the individual artifacts, but the arts > themselves.* *One day the last portrait of Rembrandt* *and the last bar > of Mozart will have ceased to be — though possibly a colored canvas and a > sheet of notes may remain — because the last eye and the last ear > accessible to their message will have gone." *Oswald Spengler > > > > On Sun, Jul 5, 2015 at 8:48 PM, Stephen C. Rose <stever...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > A less expensive edition might encourage more to buy it. Especially if > they have no budget for such purchases. I am sure such a discussion would > be of interest. > > > Books http://buff.ly/15GfdqU Art: http://buff.ly/1wXAxbl > > Gifts: http://buff.ly/1wXADj3 > > > > On Sun, Jul 5, 2015 at 8:27 PM, Ben Novak <trevriz...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Dear Peirce-L members: > > > > Please allow me to join Tom Wyrick in accepting the invitation to > introduce ourselves. > > > > I am rejoining this List for the third time. I first joined in > approximately 1999 when I discovered Charles Sanders Peirce as I was > writing my Ph.D. dissertation. Peirce's theory of abduction then became a > major part of it. I completed the dissertation and received my Ph.D. from > Penn State University in 1999, at the ripe old age of fifty-six. At that > time I was a practicing attorney in State College, PA. I think I recall > Jon Awbrey as an active discussant even way back them... > > > > Subsequently, I moved to Europe where I taught at various universities in > Slovakia, Austria, and Bulgaria.; In about 2006, I rejoined the List and > engaged in some very interesting email discussions with, Sami Paavola, > among others > > > > I am happy to say that in 2014 Lexington Books saw fit to publish my work > under the title, *Hitler and Abductive Logic: The Strategy of a Tyrant*. > You may find it on Amazon here: > > > > http://www.amazon.com/Hitler-Abductive-Logic-Strategy-Tyrant/dp/0739192248 > > > > The relevance of this work to Peirce-L list members should be obvious from > its title: *Hitler and Abductive Logic*. The editorial reviews bring out > the Peirce connection even more: > > > > *Hitler and Abductive Logic: The Strategy of a Tyrant* is > thought-provoking and extremely creative, exploring aspects and influences > of Hitler’s formative years that other biographers and historians have not > examined to the same degree of detail. The application of the logic of > abduction to Hitler’s mental development is fascinating, and clearly no > other author has tried to apply Peirce’s description to Hitler in such a > way. > (Beth A. Griech-Polelle, Bowling Green State University) > > The amount of literature on Adolf Hitler is astounding. And yet, as Ben > Novak demonstrates, historians still have not fully explained how this > ill-educated and irrational provincial Austrian actually rose to power in > Germany. This work uses the concept of abductive logic both as a means of > investigating the mystery of Hitler's rise to power and as a way to > understand the mind and character of Hitler. Novak's book, written in an > engaging narrative style, offers a compelling argument for a new approach > to the mystery of Hitler's rise to power. (Jackson Spielvogel, Pennsylvania > State University) > > > > In light of some of the recent discussions on applying Peirce's concepts > to issues outside of formal academic discussions of logic, many of the > current members of the List may find this work of compelling interest in > expanding the discussion to wider examples of applications of Peirce's > logic. > > > > I would be very interested in the reviews of Peirce specialists on the > manner in which I apply Peirce's concepts to this subject. Of course, I > realize how grotesque, sensitive (and toxic) the subject of Hitler is. > However, if Sherlock Holmes and August Dupin are correct that > > > > 'The more *outre'* and grotesque an incident is the more carefully it > deserves to be examined... (Holmes), > > > > 'It appears to me that this mystery is considered insoluble, for the very > reason which should cause it to be regarded as easy of solution - I mean > for the *outre'* character of its features... (Dupin) > > > > ...then the rise of Hitler especially invites the application of their > methods, which consist of brilliant applications Peirce's adductive > logic---as Umberto Eco and Thomas Sebeok make abundantly clear in *The > Sign of Three: Dupin, Holmes, Peirce *(which is a work that also plays a > significant role in my book). See: > > > <http://goog_189368004/> > > http://www.amazon.com/The-Sign-Three-Advances-Semiotics/dp/0253204879 > > > > In any event, I will be very happy to discuss this subject and the > application of adductive logic with any members of the List who are > interested. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Ben Novak > > > > > > > > > > *Ben Novak <http://bennovak.net/>* > > 5129 Taylor Drive, Ave Maria, FL 34142 > > Telephones: > > Magic Jack: (717) 826-5224 *Best to call and leave messages.* > > Landline: 239-455-4200 *My brother's main phone line.* > > Mobile (202) 509-2655* I use this only on trips--and in any event > messages arrive days late.* > > Skype: BenNovak2 > > > *"All art is mortal, not merely the individual artifacts, but the arts > themselves.* *One day the last portrait of Rembrandt* *and the last bar > of Mozart will have ceased to be — though possibly a colored canvas and a > sheet of notes may remain — because the last eye and the last ear > accessible to their message will have gone." *Oswald Spengler > > > > ----------------------------- > PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON > PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to > peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message not to PEIRCE-L > but to l...@list.iupui.edu with the line "UNSubscribe PEIRCE-L" in the > BODY of the message. More at http://www.cspeirce.com/peirce-l/peirce-l.htm > . > > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- > PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON > PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to > peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message not to PEIRCE-L > but to l...@list.iupui.edu with the line "UNSubscribe PEIRCE-L" in the > BODY of the message. More at http://www.cspeirce.com/peirce-l/peirce-l.htm > . > > > > ------------------------------ > > > ----------------------------- > PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON > PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to > peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message not to PEIRCE-L > but to l...@list.iupui.edu with the line "UNSubscribe PEIRCE-L" in the > BODY of the message. More at http://www.cspeirce.com/peirce-l/peirce-l.htm > . > > > > > ----------------------------- > PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON > PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to > peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message not to PEIRCE-L > but to l...@list.iupui.edu with the line "UNSubscribe PEIRCE-L" in the > BODY of the message. More at http://www.cspeirce.com/peirce-l/peirce-l.htm > . > > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- > PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON > PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to > peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message not to PEIRCE-L > but to l...@list.iupui.edu with the line "UNSubscribe PEIRCE-L" in the > BODY of the message. More at http://www.cspeirce.com/peirce-l/peirce-l.htm > . > > > > > >
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