[Accepted] Quarles' School of Critical Thought

[Rechkalov]

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Type (e.g. Planet, Faction, System): University

Founding/Settlement Date (if applicable): 01NOV2375

Region of Space: Sol System, Mars (Sol IV); Nova Concordia

Controlled by Founded by: Ragle Quarles, Anthony Westerburg

 

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Background information:

 

Ragle Quarles [2321 – 2398] (Ph.D, Psy.D, Ed.S)

Quarles began his academic career as a sociologist, hoping to understand the nature of the world around him and find a way to better life for himself and his fellow men; however, he soon found his true calling in psychology.

His works are often considered the result of a genuine and philosophical humanism, with great emphasis and fascination for the evolution of man's physical and intellectual abilities, and their contrast to the condition of human life.

Growing up during the Great War, and living his entire life in the crisis that followed, Quarles found himself in a world continually stamping over human lives and hopes both, gradually drifting away from any chance of redemption, and sinking deeper and deeper into soulles, mechanical existence in which man seemed to be nothing more but another among the dwelling resources necessary to keep the self-devouring apparatus going - with this image in mind, he fought for ways to preserve the spirit of man and new perspectives to his existence.

He firmly believed that faith in man and in his abilities together with empathy could -and would- be the foundations for a more positive, harmonical future, in which man would be given ways for a decent life and further exploration of his potential.

(//optional) He eventually became one of the leading thinkers of the 24th century, and his works became inspiration for the next generation of philosophers, often referred to as the Call of Humanistic Socialism.

The idea of founding a school actually didn't originate with Quarles himself, but with Anthony Westerburg, a 'small-time richman' who appreciated Ragle's ideals wholeheartedly, and abandoned his enterprises in order to provide Quarles with an opportunity to spread them more effectively.

 

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Description:

Quarles' School of Critical Thought focuses on educating psychoanalysts, and differs in doing so from 'conventional' universities in more than one way;

Quarles was convinced that there is no such thing as 'ill will' or a man 'psychologically sick beyond cure'; rather, he believed that every man's will was naturally good, and any bitterness or viciousness originated from continuous frustration of the said good intentions.

For Quarles, treating patients wasn't about diagnosing their illness and doping and/or conditioning them to the point where they could function normally, or at least meant no harm to others; rather it was a search for that initial good, creative impulse, and his quest was to bring it back into the man's focus.

That being said, for psychoanalysts following his teachings the task began where the conventional psychologist found a closure.

Giving up on patients is unthinkable for followers of Quarles' theories.

Above all, he related man's sanity to his happiness in times where it was generally being related to their ability to perform their function within society.

His methods were meant to free his patients of any and all deep-rooted influence from any form of irrational authority and irrational values - to elaborate, of any values that were taught to them by their society/religion/age etc., and encouraged his patients in finding their own, personal values, ones that would benefit their mental state as well as general well being.

In his last will, Anthony Westerburg transfered all his monetary possesions to the University; in our day, it persists solely on donations from various sources.

Because of the unstable and unreliable incomes, the University cannot offer to accept more than a couple of students each year - on the other hand, that resulted in extremely high standards for its applicants, and the graduates are generally considered experts in the field.

[Rechkalov]

THE PUZZLE:

1) Can you recognize the reference to a literary masterpiece?

2) Can you guess the man upon whom Quarles' is very obviously based?

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The psychologists get no love, so I'll accept this application.

Sorry for the delay.

[Rechkalov]

The psychologists get no love, so I'll accept this application.

Sorry for the delay.

 

I have mixed feelings about this.

Needless to say, I am still grateful, even if it's only out of pity.

T.T