From “Freaks In The Machine” (MONDO 2000 History Project)

The Leary/Wilson Paradigm

The Leary/Wilson paradigm (or Leary theory) was the meme that most inspired me at the start of High Frontiers and the entire World Mutational (see Mutation, below) venture.

The theory — developed by Timothy Leary in the mid-1970s and then expanded upon by Science Fiction writer and philosopher Robert Anton Wilson — proposed that their were circuits or neural patternings or potentials for intelligence and experience residing inside the human skull that were — in some sense — laying in wait for the time when they would be useful for human or posthuman survival and/or enjoyment.

It was a sort-of evolutionary psychological system that presumed that human evolution didn’t end with then-contemporary, unaltered 20 C. humans, but rather that we were going to become posthuman and post-terrestrial in some interesting, exciting and pleasurable ways.

In simplistic terms, Leary proposed that — both as individuals and as a species — ordinary pre-mutant humans have always evolved through 4 stages of development dealing with basic approach-avoidance, territory, language and physical dexterity, and socialization. He further proposed that when a civilization becomes advanced enough to offer some of its privileged members leisure time, this provides them the opportunity to open somatic potentials in the brain that allow them to experience the brain and body not merely as an implement for survival, but as something one can drive and control and derive pleasure from. One is privileged to enjoy mind states that are sensual, visionary, playful, fluid and creative. And, in fact, some survival value ultimately comes from this as human societies grow more sophisticated around an increasing need to satisfy desires for aesthetic and sensual experiences and insights. He called this the 5th brain circuit. Naturally, this being Leary, each higher circuit could also be opened up by a drug or drugs… in this case marijuana.

The next circuit or potential Leary theorized was “neuro-electric.” This was the idea of shared minds; minds hooked up, speeded up, linked up — your basic networked, online, twittered world, perhaps ultimately extending out to direct mind linkups and borg-like collectivities of mind. Leary theorized that these evolutionary potentials in the brain would open up under evolutionary conditions brought on by communications media and brain technologies (and, of course, they could be — and had been — opened up temporarily and prematurely by using psychedelic drugs).

The next circuit — circuit 7 — would open us up to biological intelligence — the ability to control our biology and alter and enhance ourselves in ways that would have seemed science fictional and superhuman to average 20th Century humans. (High dose psychedelic experiences were said to open us up to genetic intelligence.)

Finally, the eighth circuit promised molecular (nanotech), atomic and ultimately quantum control over matter, the universe and everything. (Only the most powerful drugs, like DMT, Ketamine and high dose LSD were said to open up these realms.)

With the acronym SMI2LE, Leary also proposed that the goal of 1970s humanity should be Space Migration Intelligence Increase and Life Extension.

Probably the most influential thing that people took from the discourses offered by Leary and Wilson, both individually and as a pair, was a set of attitudes that privileged flexibility over solidity (perceived as rigidity), creative play over laboriousness, antiauthoritarian pranking over grim conformity and levity over gravity.

The Leary/Wilson paradigm (or Leary theory) was the meme that most inspired me at the start of High Frontiers and the entire World Mutational (see Mutation, below) venture.

The theory — developed by Timothy Leary in the mid-1970s and then expanded upon by Science Fiction writer and philosopher Robert Anton Wilson — proposed that their were circuits or neural patternings or potentials for intelligence and experience residing inside the human skull that were — in some sense — laying in wait for the time when they would be useful for human or posthuman survival and/or enjoyment.

It was a sort-of evolutionary psychological system that presumed that human evolution didn’t end with then-contemporary, unaltered 20 C. humans, but rather that we were going to become posthuman and post-terrestrial in some interesting, exciting and pleasurable ways.

In simplistic terms, Leary proposed that — both as individuals and as a species — ordinary pre-mutant humans have always evolved through 4 stages of development dealing with basic approach-avoidance, territory, language and physical dexterity, and socialization. He further proposed that when a civilization becomes advanced enough to offer some of its privileged members leisure time, this provides them the opportunity to open somatic potentials in the brain that allow them to experience the brain and body not merely as an implement for survival, but as something one can drive and control and derive pleasure from. One is privileged to enjoy mind states that are sensual, visionary, playful, fluid and creative. And, in fact, some survival value ultimately comes from this as human societies grow more sophisticated around an increasing need to satisfy desires for aesthetic and sensual experiences and insights. He called this the 5th brain circuit. Naturally, this being Leary, each higher circuit could also be opened up by a drug or drugs… in this case marijuana.

The next circuit or potential Leary theorized was “neuro-electric.” This was the idea of shared minds; minds hooked up, speeded up, linked up — your basic networked, online, twittered world, perhaps ultimately extending out to direct mind linkups and borg-like collectivities of mind. Leary theorized that these evolutionary potentials in the brain would open up under evolutionary conditions brought on by communications media and brain technologies (and, of course, they could be — and had been — opened up temporarily and prematurely by using psychedelic drugs).

The next circuit — circuit 7 — would open us up to biological intelligence — the ability to control our biology and alter and enhance ourselves in ways that would have seemed science fictional and superhuman to average 20th Century humans. (High dose psychedelic experiences were said to open us up to genetic intelligence.)

Finally, the eighth circuit promised molecular (nanotech), atomic and ultimately quantum control over matter, the universe and everything. (Only the most powerful drugs, like DMT, Ketamine and high dose LSD were said to open up these realms.)

With the acronym SMI2LE, Leary also proposed that the goal of 1970s humanity should be Space Migration Intelligence Increase and Life Extension.

Probably the most influential thing that people took from the discourses offered by Leary and Wilson, both individually and as a pair, was a set of attitudes that privileged flexibility over solidity (perceived as rigidity), creative play over laboriousness, antiauthoritarian pranking over grim conformity and levity over gravity.