ShareWare OnLine 2/ShareWare OnLine Volume 2 (CMS Software)(1993).iso/bbsdoors/ecgbbs1.zip/PRISM3.TXT

Text File | 1993-03-29 | 18KB | 517 lines

Revised March 27, 1993
Subject to further revision!

The PRISM Electronic Glossary
Editorial Contributions
Copyright 1993 Gary R. Smith

This file may be freely distributed, unchanged and in
its entirety.  It may be used as a BBS bulletin and
file to be downloaded.  Please upload this file to other
BBSes, and help distribute it as widely as possible.

The PRISM ~Electronic~ Glossary, a volume of the QST
(Quick Study Technologies) software product line, is
being developed.

                  P hilosophy
                  R eligion
                  I
                  S ystems
                  M ythology

The PRISM Electronic Glossary is a collaborative effort of
diverse views from BBS conferences such as Bible, Motivation,
Philosophy, Psychology, Religion and Writers.

Various views such as Christian, New Age and Humanist will be
represented, and although I have at different times adhered
to each of those belief systems, PRISM will be more objective
if written by people of diverse views.  As editor, I will aim
for balance and fairness.

There are some things all of humanity has in common.  We all
have beating hearts that pump blood through our circulatory
systems. Every living human being has a brain and lungs.  Those
organs, or their man-made counterparts, are necessary to sustain
life as it is commonly defined.

Another thing all functional human beings have in common is a
belief system.  Whether atheistic, agnostic, humanist,
fundamentalist or liberal, a belief system is a central part of
every person's life.

The focus of PRISM is on analysis of belief systems, how they
are formed and how they affect us.  Analysis is "the separation
of any whole into its parts in order to determine their nature,
proportion, function and interrelationship."  PRISM is being
developed as an electronic glossary by analyzing the components
of belief systems, forming definitions, and building indexed and
hypertext links between definitions.

Your ideas, editorial contributions and resources are invited.
Further information is available upon request.

    Large public domain texts such as the sacred writings of
    any religion or the works of philosophers are sought.

    Software developers, especially those using hypermedia
    authoring systems, are sought to create sections of the
    Windows version of the PRISM Glossary.

    Bibliographies (with the publishers' names, addresses and
    phone numbers if possible,) such as of reference works in
    the fields of Philosophy, Psychology, Religion and Myths
    are sought.

The PRISM editor may be contacted by e-mail on RIME or by
leaving a message on the OEC BBS, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
OEC BBS: [phone].

Logon to the OEC BBS for a demonstration of the Electronic
Computer Glossary.  The Glossary may also be downloaded
*by SysOps only* (BBSGLOSS.ZIP) from the DOORS conference
of The Running Board.  ECG will convey the concept of an
Electronic Glossary (indexed, but without hypertext links.)

The PRISM editor, Gary Smith, is working with the ECG author,
Alan Freedman, on a BBS door version of that product.  Alan
controls the Computer Glossary product, and Gary is the
distributor of the product via the BBS community.

The acronym PRISM could be interpreted in many different ways.
"P" could be Philosophy, Psychology, Paranormal Phenomena, or
another word that is relevant to a person's belief system.
The "I" is purposely left blank to convey the message that
everyone has their own interpretation.

Your thoughts and suggestions pertaining to the PRISM project as
outlined herein are invited.

1.  Definitions must be provided in ASCII text files, up to 65
    characters wide and 25 lines per definition.  The text may
    refer to other definitions, personal stories of belief
    systems, quotes, and/or to Windows-compatible multi-media
    files such as graphics and sound.

    Any text or multi-media file that is illustrative of a facet
    of belief systems is welcomed as an item that could be linked
    to a primary definition.

2.  There are no restrictions as to the number or type of
    definitions that may be submitted.  Submissions must be
    original material or the source must be acknowledged.
    In either case, please include complete contact information
    (so the editor may obtain written permission to use the
    material in PRISM.)

    All products of the PRISM Project are and will be
    copyright-protected by the editor.

    A list (ever-expanding) of words that may be used as a basis
    for PRISM definitions is available upon request.

3.  Contributors whose submissions are included in PRISM will
    receive a free copy of the PRISM Electronic Glossary with
    free lifetime updates for one personal copy, and special
    distribution rights for the resale of PRISM.

4.  The editor reserves all editorial rights, including the right
    to accept, edit or reject any submitted material.

5.  The target release date of the first version of PRISM is
    September 1, 1993.  The deadline for entries is July 1, 1993.
    The first "release" may be a prototype, but we need a goal
    to work towards and time frame to work within.

6.  Definitions:

     A.  Should be written in a clear, concise and interesting
         manner.  The objective is to be accurate, balanced,
         applicable to daily living where possible, and
         understandable.

     B.  Should be accompanied by the applicant's own belief
         statement (see example.)  A "tell me about yourself"
         would also be appreciated.

         About the PRISM editor: I have experience as a software
         author, editor, and Project Coordinator.  I have been
         developing belief systems for forty years.  Sections of
         my personal journal, which muse and ramble about belief
         systems, are available upon request.

         The titles of the sections are:
         The Nature of Knowledge
         Exploring Paths of the Spirit
         It's All in Your Attitude
         The Mystery of Computers

     C.  Should relate to a component of belief systems as
         indicated by the PRISM charts.

(The Charts are in development and are not represented as being
complete or properly grouped at this time.)

PRISM Chart #1
Components of Belief Systems

God - Source - Higher Power
Authority
  Person
  Written
  Tradition - Culture - Society
            - Rituals - Habits
Life Explanation
Life Purpose
Life Philosophy
Statement of Beliefs/Faith - Mindset
Actions/Outcome of Beliefs - Values - Morals - Ethics

***

PRISM Chart #2
Analysis of component:
                                      Higher Power
                                      Source of Power
                                          |
*Christianity *      *"Eastern" Thought      *Humanism/Atheism*
One God/Creator/      New Age*                Human Potential
Trinity               Many gods/Nature/       "Man is God"
Personal God/         Universal Mind          Inner Strength
Father, Son and       Occult
Holy Spirit   --        |               |
  |            |      Ascended Masters Higher Self
Angels         |
               Catholic/                     *Other World Views*

               Greek Orthodox
                 Saints
                 Mary

***

PRISM Chart #3

Each component is interpreted through "filters," resulting in an
individualized world view:

Filter of Heredity, Conditioning, Environment, Observations,
Experiences, Responses, Behavior Patterns

Filter of Character, Personality, Maturity, Relationships,
Expectations, Psychological Patterns

Filter of Interpretation, Perceptions, Discernment, Decisions

Filter of Male/Female, Peer Pressures, Family/Friend Influences,
Natural Senses

Filter of Self Image, Values, Priorities, Objectives

Filter of Fears, Guilt, Mental Blocks, Obsessions, Likes and
Dislikes

Filter of Orientations (i.e., Legalism, Fundamentalism,
Literalism, Rationalism, Liberalism.)

Filter of Culture, Society, Attitudes, Motivations

***

Example of a New Age Belief Statement, as expressed by Jeremy P.
Tarcher, in "The Fireside Treasury of Light," edited by Mary
Olsen Kelly:

"1.  The everyday world and our personal consciousness is a
     manifestation of a larger divine reality,

 2.  humans have a suppressed or hidden self that reflects or is
     connected to the divine element of the universe,

 3.  this Higher Self can be awakened and take a central part in
     the everyday life of the individual,

 4.  this awakening is the purpose or goal of human life."

***

Example of "guiding principles," from an individualized
fundamentalist Christian viewpoint:

    "[03/03/91]  I have been asked twice to reveal the guiding
    principles of my life.

    Now, if I were asked, I would advise:

    1. Humble yourself before God, your Heavenly Father.
    2. Forgive all whom you perceive, justly or not, have
       wronged you.
    3. Be full of praise, thanksgiving and worship to the One
       True God.
    4. Love God with all your being.
    5. Ask God to cleanse you with the blood of the Lamb.
    6. Enter into the Holiest Place through the Name of Jesus.
    7. Converse with God as with a deeply respected friend.
    8. Do everything in harmony with Scripture.
    9. Seek to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
   10. Be guided in everything by the Holy Spirit.
   11. Come into a place where you trust God, whatever happens.
   12. Learn to think for yourself and hear from God yourself --
       never let anyone else do your thinking for you.
   13. Remember that there is always more than one side [view,
       perspective] to every story.  God's is the only one that
       matters!"

***
THE NEXT STEP:

1.  Write out (or "word process!") any comments and questions
    you have about PRISM at this time.

2.  Think (and pray, if that is part of your belief system,)
    about the role you want to play in the PRISM Project, and
    the contribution you want to make, and the effort you are
    willing and able to exert, and write down your thoughts.

3.  E-mail your comments, questions and thoughts to the PRISM
    editor.

4.  Login to the OEC BBS to see a demo of the Electronic Computer
    Glossary, or (SysOps only) download BBSGLOSS.ZIP from the
    Doors conference of The Running Board -- or e-mail a request
    to the Editor, and he will have BBSGLOSS.ZIP routed to you.

5.  Help distribute this text file.  All products of the PRISM
    Project are copyrighted to protect the integrity of the
    Project.  However, permission is hereby given to copy and
    distribute this file, unchanged and in its entirety.

***

Process for developing a definition

1.  Choose a word to define, such as one from the PRISM word list.

2.  Advise the PRISM editor of any word you'd like to define, to
    avoid duplication of efforts.  Someone may be writing a
    definition of the word, but you may be able to develop a
    bibliography on the subject or contribute in other ways.

    Examples of the next five steps are shown at the end of
    the list.

3.  Look up the approved word in a dictionary and write down the
    definitions.  In these early phases, consider writing down
    *everything*, and not limiting yourself to definitions or
    synonyms with a direct relationship to belief systems, as
    you may gain unexpected insights.

    The process is to gather material in a methodical and
    thorough manner, then sift through it for gems.

4.  Look up the word in a thesaurus and write down the word's
    variations and synonyms.

5.  Make a list of key words from the definition.

6.  Develop a list of examples and quotes.

7.  Develop a bibliography.  Many public libraries now have
    computers for researching topics and printing out titles.

8.  Collect information on multi-media files that could be linked
    to the definition.

    Now you're ready to begin sifting for nuggets, and forming a
    definition that is accurate, interesting, informative and
    linked to other facets of Belief Systems.

***

    Example of the above process, using the word "system."

3.  Look up the approved word in a dictionary and write down the
    definitions.

    Definition of Systems

    "1.  a set or arrangement of things so related or connected
         as to form a unity or organic whole [a solar system,
         school system, system of highways]

     2.  a set of facts, principles, rules, etc. classified or
         arranged in a regular, orderly form so as to show a
         logical plan linking the various parts.

     3.  a method or plan of classification or arrangement

     4.  a) an established way of doing something; method;
            procedure
         b) orderliness or methodical planning in one's way
            of proceeding

     5.  a) the body considered as  functioning organism
         b) a number of bodily organs acting together to perform
            one of the main bodily functions [the digestive
            system]

     6.  a related series of natural objects or elements, as
         cave passages, rivers, etc.

     7.  Chemistry a group of substances in or approaching
         equilibrium: a system with two components, phases,
         variables is called binary, one with three, ternary,
         etc.

     8.  Crystallography any of the seven divisions (cubic,
         tetragonal, texagonal, trigonal, orthorhombic,
         monoclinic, and triclinic) in which all crystal forms
         can be placed, based on the degree of symmetry of the
         crystals

     9.  Geology a major division of stratified rocks comprising
         the rocks laid down during a period

- SYN. see METHOD"

from Webster's New World Dictionary, Second College Edition

***

4.  Look up the word in a thesaurus and write down the word's
    variations and synonyms.

Synonyms of System

"system, n.

     1.  order, organization, arrangement, disposition,
         structure, setup, layout, line-up

     2.  process, procedure, method, methodology, technique;
         attack, tack, approach; way, wise, means, practice,
         praxis, Latin. modus operandi, M.O.; common practice
         rule, standard operating procedure,

     3.  course, line, plan of action, plan, scheme, design,
         program; pattern, outline, delineation

     4.  cosmos, universe, world, all creation"

from "The Synonym Finder" by J.I. Rodale

***

5.  Make a list of key words, pertaining to belief systems,
    (or that *could* pertain) from the definition and synonyms.
    This is brainstorm time.  The only rule is to write it down.

    Set
    Arrangement
    Components
    Related
    Connected
    Form
    Unity
    Organic
    Whole
    Facts
    Principles
    Rules
    Orderly
    Show
    Logical
    Plan
    Linking
    Parts
    Method
    Classification
    Established
    Way
    Doing
    Procedure
    Functioning
    Acting
    Together
    Perform
    Series
    Objects
    Elements
    Group
    Symmetry
    Process
    Technique
    Approach
    Practice
    Course
    Line
    Scheme
    Design
    Program
    Pattern
    Outline
    Cosmos
    Universe
    And so on

6.  Develop a list of examples and quotes.

    Examples of various types of systems (this list could
    obviously be greatly expanded)

    Belief system

    In anatomy:
    Circulatory system
    Nervous system
    Skeletal system

    In nature:
    Ecosystem
    Root system
    River system
    Solar system

    Developed by Man:
    Accounting system
    Automotive systems
      Electrical
      Fuel
      Cooling
    Computer system
    Educational system
    Highway system
    Justice system
    Political system

7.  Develop a bibliography.  Many public libraries now have
    computers for researching topics and printing out titles.

    For example, a bibliography on belief systems could start
    with a list of books found at the library under the topic
    "belief systems."  There will be other topics related
    to belief systems, so follow those leads as well.  Browse
    some of the most interesting books, and pick up any titles
    from their bibliographies to add to your list.

    Wonderful bibliographies can also be developed by doing
    research using online information services, but it can
    become expensive.

8.  Collect information on multi-media files that could be linked
    to the definition.

    Some of the examples of various types of systems could be
    used to illustrate the concept of a belief system, that is,
    its components and their interrelationships.


    Good graphics of anatomical systems or the solar system,
    or illustrations of how the brain is made and how it works,
    with some guiding text and/or sound can help us develop a
    deeper understanding of the abstract concept of belief
    systems, and how they affect our lives and relationships.

- end of file