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beyondism

n. a secular “religion” devised by Raymond B. Cattell on the basis of evolutionary theory. Beyondism holds that evolution will lead to the advancement of humanity; therefore, anything that furthers evolution is good, and anything that hinders it is not good. If allowed to operate freely, evolutionary processes will solve many of the world’s problems through evolutionary competition, leading to the survival of some civilizations and the extinction of others. Because of this belief, and its support for voluntary eugenics, beyondism received much criticism as racist. See political genetics.

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Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

false self

false self

in the object relations theory of British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott (1896–1971), the self that develops as a defense against impingements and in adaptation to the environment. This contrasts with the true self, which develops in an environment that adapts to the infant and allows him or her to discover and express true impulses.