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==Notes==
==Notes==


Maslow had some intimations about human potential. He believed humans were capable of far more than currently instantiated. <blockquote>...we have to start seeing ourselves in a different light. This is what I mean by saying, “For centuries, human nature has been sold short.” For my theory is implying that in a certain sense, every newborn baby is a potential Plato. Every child has an instinctive need for the highest values of beauty, truth, justice, and so on. If we can accept this notion, then the key question isn’t “What fosters creativity? How was a Beethoven created?” But it is “Why in God s name isn’t everyone a Beethoven?” That is what has to be explained now. Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in the face of creativity, as if it was a miracle if anybody created anything. <ref>Maslow, Abraham H. “Higher Motivation and the New Psychology.” In ''Future Visions: The Unpublished Papers of Abraham Maslow'', edited by Edward Hoffman. Sage Publications, 1996. p. 95.</ref></blockquote>What this potential might be (the question "What would a fully realized human look like") is hard to theorize. Maslow pointed out that in states of chronic needs deprivation, we get a "lopsided view" of human motivation (and human potential). <blockquote>Obviously a good way to obscure the 'higher' motivations, and to get a lopsided view of human capacities and human nature, is to make the organism extremely and chronically hungry or thirsty. Anyone who attempts to make an emergency picture into a typical one, and who will measure all of man's goals and desires by his behavior during extreme physiological deprivation is certainly being blind to many things. It is quite true that man lives by bread alone- when there is no bread. But what happens to man's desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled?<ref>Maslow, A. H. “A Theory of Human Motivation.” ''Psychological Review'' 50, no. 4 (1943): 370–96. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.115.179622. p. 375.</ref></blockquote>The human species has never enjoyed an optimal environment. We've never had a society that has the capacity to meet all [[Seven Essential Needs]] and we've never had a society that prioritizes their satisfaction. Until we do, we can only speculate what's possible. In fact, it may be easily argued that our current consumer focused societies completely fail to meet most of the [[Seven Essential Needs]] of an individual providing us with a sad caricature of what human potential might be. In current conditions, even the peak specimen, the [[Aggridant]] as Maslow took to calling them, are not accurate representation of full human potential.
As scientists, scholars, and just regular people, we don't really have any idea of what true human potential is.


Maslow had some intimations about human potential. He believed humans were capable of far more than currently instantiated. <blockquote>...we have to start seeing ourselves in a different light. This is what I mean by saying, “For centuries, human nature has been sold short.” For my theory is implying that in a certain sense, every newborn baby is a potential Plato. Every child has an instinctive need for the highest values of beauty, truth, justice, and so on. If we can accept this notion, then the key question isn’t “What fosters creativity? How was a Beethoven created?” But it is “Why in God s name isn’t everyone a Beethoven?” That is what has to be explained now. Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in the face of creativity, as if it was a miracle if anybody created anything. <ref>Maslow, Abraham H. “Higher Motivation and the New Psychology.” In ''Future Visions: The Unpublished Papers of Abraham Maslow'', edited by Edward Hoffman. Sage Publications, 1996. p. 95.</ref></blockquote>However, what this potential might be (the question "What would a fully realized human look like") is hard to theorize because, as Maslow pointed out, that in states of chronic needs deprivation, we get a "lopsided view" of human motivation (and human potential). <blockquote>Obviously a good way to obscure the 'higher' motivations, and to get a lopsided view of human capacities and human nature, is to make the organism extremely and chronically hungry or thirsty. Anyone who attempts to make an emergency picture into a typical one, and who will measure all of man's goals and desires by his behavior during extreme physiological deprivation is certainly being blind to many things. It is quite true that man lives by bread alone- when there is no bread. But what happens to man's desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled?<ref>Maslow, A. H. “A Theory of Human Motivation.” ''Psychological Review'' 50, no. 4 (1943): 370–96. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.115.179622. p. 375.</ref></blockquote>The human species has never enjoyed an optimal environment. We've never had a society that has the capacity to meet all [[Seven Essential Needs]] and we've never had a society that prioritizes their satisfaction. Until we do, we can only speculate what's possible. In fact, it may be easily argued that our capitalist and consumer focused societies completely fail to meet most of the [[Seven Essential Needs]] of an individual providing us with a sad caricature of what human potential might be. In current conditions, even the peak specimen, the [[Aggridant]] as Maslow took to calling them, are not accurate representation of full human potential.
Maslow suggested that if we wanted to actuate full human potential, we'd need to great "good conditions" and a [[Good Society]]. "It is now quite clear that the actualization of the highest human potentials is possible--on a mass basis--only under 'good conditions.' Or more directly, good human beings will generally need a good society in which to grow."<ref>Maslow, A. H. “Toward a Humanistic Biology.” ''American Psychologist'' 24, no. 8 (1969): 724–35. doi:10.1037/h0027859. p. 726.</ref>
Maslow suggested that the best way top determine what our human potential might be was to look at the "growing-tip," the forward phalanx of human beings, those who were self-actualizing. He speculated you might find these people where "better cognizers and perceivers" <ref>Maslow, A. H. “Toward a Humanistic Biology.” American Psychologist 24, no. 8 (1969): 724–35. doi:10.1037/h0027859. p. 725.</ref>   
=== LP Theorization ===
That said, we may theorize that.
That said, we may theorize that.


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Latest revision as of 14:06, 3 February 2026

Human Potential

The phrase Human Potential refers to the innate capacities, abilities, and possibilities that reside within each person.[1] It encompasses the totality of an individual's physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual capabilities which can be developed and maximized over a lifetime given full satisfaction of one's Seven Essential Needs.

Concept Map

Key Terms

Eupsychia >

Eupsychian Theory

Human Potential >

Related LP Terms

Human Potential > Graduation, Toxic Socialization

Non-LP Related Terms

Human Potential > Violence

Notes

As scientists, scholars, and just regular people, we don't really have any idea of what true human potential is.

Maslow had some intimations about human potential. He believed humans were capable of far more than currently instantiated.

...we have to start seeing ourselves in a different light. This is what I mean by saying, “For centuries, human nature has been sold short.” For my theory is implying that in a certain sense, every newborn baby is a potential Plato. Every child has an instinctive need for the highest values of beauty, truth, justice, and so on. If we can accept this notion, then the key question isn’t “What fosters creativity? How was a Beethoven created?” But it is “Why in God s name isn’t everyone a Beethoven?” That is what has to be explained now. Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in the face of creativity, as if it was a miracle if anybody created anything. [2]

However, what this potential might be (the question "What would a fully realized human look like") is hard to theorize because, as Maslow pointed out, that in states of chronic needs deprivation, we get a "lopsided view" of human motivation (and human potential).

Obviously a good way to obscure the 'higher' motivations, and to get a lopsided view of human capacities and human nature, is to make the organism extremely and chronically hungry or thirsty. Anyone who attempts to make an emergency picture into a typical one, and who will measure all of man's goals and desires by his behavior during extreme physiological deprivation is certainly being blind to many things. It is quite true that man lives by bread alone- when there is no bread. But what happens to man's desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled?[3]

The human species has never enjoyed an optimal environment. We've never had a society that has the capacity to meet all Seven Essential Needs and we've never had a society that prioritizes their satisfaction. Until we do, we can only speculate what's possible. In fact, it may be easily argued that our capitalist and consumer focused societies completely fail to meet most of the Seven Essential Needs of an individual providing us with a sad caricature of what human potential might be. In current conditions, even the peak specimen, the Aggridant as Maslow took to calling them, are not accurate representation of full human potential.

Maslow suggested that if we wanted to actuate full human potential, we'd need to great "good conditions" and a Good Society. "It is now quite clear that the actualization of the highest human potentials is possible--on a mass basis--only under 'good conditions.' Or more directly, good human beings will generally need a good society in which to grow."[4]

Maslow suggested that the best way top determine what our human potential might be was to look at the "growing-tip," the forward phalanx of human beings, those who were self-actualizing. He speculated you might find these people where "better cognizers and perceivers" [5]

LP Theorization

That said, we may theorize that.

Abraham Maslow provided some speculations.[7]

Nasa scientists Dr. George Land has some thoughts.[8]. View his brief talk below where he suggests that all children are born creative geniuses but that something (i.e., The System) dumbs them down.

Abraham Maslow Index

... further results

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Footnotes

  1. ↑ Galtung, Johan. “Violence, Peace, and Peace Research.” Journal of Peace Research 6, no. 3 (January 1, 1969): 167–91.
  2. ↑ Maslow, Abraham H. “Higher Motivation and the New Psychology.” In Future Visions: The Unpublished Papers of Abraham Maslow, edited by Edward Hoffman. Sage Publications, 1996. p. 95.
  3. ↑ Maslow, A. H. “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Psychological Review 50, no. 4 (1943): 370–96. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.115.179622. p. 375.
  4. ↑ Maslow, A. H. “Toward a Humanistic Biology.” American Psychologist 24, no. 8 (1969): 724–35. doi:10.1037/h0027859. p. 726.
  5. ↑ Maslow, A. H. “Toward a Humanistic Biology.” American Psychologist 24, no. 8 (1969): 724–35. doi:10.1037/h0027859. p. 725.
  6. ↑ Mike Sosteric and Gina Ratkovic, “It Takes a Village: Advancing Attachment Theory and Recovering the Roots of Human Health with the Seven Essential Needs,” Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 2022, doi:https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol34iss1id887.
  7. ↑ Maslow, A. H. “The Farthest Reaches of Human Nature.” The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology 1, no. 1 (1969): 1–9.
  8. ↑ Engels, Coert. “We Are Born Creative Geniuses and the Education System Dumbs Us down, According to NASA Scientists - Ideapod.” Ideapod (blog), December 16, 2017. https://ideapod.com/born-creative-geniuses-education-system-dumbs-us-according-nasa-scientists/






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