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Decoding the Human Message
English, French (translation)
239 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
Henri Laborit
21 books34 followersHenri Laborit was a French surgeon, researcher, writer and philosopher. Animated by a robustly nonconformist spirit, he maintained an independence from academia and never sought to produce the orderly results that science requires of its adherents. His laboratory was self-funded for decades and allowed him to pursue his interdisciplinary interests. He is widely considered to be a pioneer of systems thinking and complexity theory in France.
He won the prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in 1957. Laborit later became a research head at Boucicault Hospital in Paris.
His interests included psychotropic drugs, eutonology, and memory. He pioneered the use of dopamine antagonists to reduce shock in injured soldiers. His observation that people treated with these drugs showed reduced interest in their surroundings led to their later use as antipsychotics.
He was also the first researcher to study GHB, in the early 1960s. He hoped that it would be an orally bioavailable precursor to the neurotransmitter GABA, but it proved to have other uses and was later discovered as an endogenous neurotransmitter.
He appeared in the 1980 Alain Resnais film Mon oncle d'Amérique, which is built around the ideas of Laborit and uses the stories of three people to illustrate theories deriving from evolutionary psychology regarding the relationship of self and society. This movie includes short sequences of rat experiments that are used to illustrate the behaviors of some of the characters in different situations (such as inhibition in the action).
The French-born American market researcher Clotaire Rapaille considered Laborit to be an important influence in his work.
The 1991 Italian film Mediterraneo begins with a quote from Laborit which, translated, means "In times like these, escape is the only way to stay alive and keep dreaming."
He won the prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in 1957. Laborit later became a research head at Boucicault Hospital in Paris.
His interests included psychotropic drugs, eutonology, and memory. He pioneered the use of dopamine antagonists to reduce shock in injured soldiers. His observation that people treated with these drugs showed reduced interest in their surroundings led to their later use as antipsychotics.
He was also the first researcher to study GHB, in the early 1960s. He hoped that it would be an orally bioavailable precursor to the neurotransmitter GABA, but it proved to have other uses and was later discovered as an endogenous neurotransmitter.
He appeared in the 1980 Alain Resnais film Mon oncle d'Amérique, which is built around the ideas of Laborit and uses the stories of three people to illustrate theories deriving from evolutionary psychology regarding the relationship of self and society. This movie includes short sequences of rat experiments that are used to illustrate the behaviors of some of the characters in different situations (such as inhibition in the action).
The French-born American market researcher Clotaire Rapaille considered Laborit to be an important influence in his work.
The 1991 Italian film Mediterraneo begins with a quote from Laborit which, translated, means "In times like these, escape is the only way to stay alive and keep dreaming."
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 6, 2019
An incredible book. So ahead of its time, it's sometimes even prophetic. The beginning of what Edgar Morin popularized as "complex thought". A must-read for the Morin enthusiast, and anyone interested in life.
November 27, 2019
Essai très intéressant, généraliste, mettant en parallèle les différents niveaux d'organisation de l'humain, de la cellule jusqu'aux groupes humains. L'approche et le point de vue du biologiste sont très instructifs et ramènent l'analyse de l'homme et des groupes d'humains à des considérations plus essentielles. Par ailleurs, les problématiques écologiques et démographiques qui approchent amènent l'auteur à suggérer une rupture et une bascule vers un autre système que l'actuel qui nous conduit dans le mur.
July 18, 2023
faut avoir un doctorat pour tout comprendre
December 30, 2025
De fausses prémisses engendrent nécessairement de fausses conclusions.
Par exemple, Laborit prend pour acquis qu'une hiérarchie doit être une chaîne de domination, que les dominés se soumettent aux dominants (p145). C'est simpliste comme vision.
Dans toute organisation, les acteurs prennent plusieurs décisions eux-mêmes et plusieurs autres avec leurs collègues et d'autres encore en négociant avec la direction. Tout dirigeant imposant sa dictature ne fait qu'inviter l'échec. Lire "Concept of the Corporation" de Peter Drucker pour comprendre l'importance de déléguer du pouvoir décisionnel à tous les niveaux de la hiérarchie.
Laborit est malheureusement aveugle à cette réalité. Il ne peut pas concevoir qu'être au bas d'une hiérarchie peut non seulement être valorisant en soi et pour soi, mais que chaque niveau d'une hiérarchie apprécie les contributeurs qui l'alimentent.
Décevant.
Par exemple, Laborit prend pour acquis qu'une hiérarchie doit être une chaîne de domination, que les dominés se soumettent aux dominants (p145). C'est simpliste comme vision.
Dans toute organisation, les acteurs prennent plusieurs décisions eux-mêmes et plusieurs autres avec leurs collègues et d'autres encore en négociant avec la direction. Tout dirigeant imposant sa dictature ne fait qu'inviter l'échec. Lire "Concept of the Corporation" de Peter Drucker pour comprendre l'importance de déléguer du pouvoir décisionnel à tous les niveaux de la hiérarchie.
Laborit est malheureusement aveugle à cette réalité. Il ne peut pas concevoir qu'être au bas d'une hiérarchie peut non seulement être valorisant en soi et pour soi, mais que chaque niveau d'une hiérarchie apprécie les contributeurs qui l'alimentent.
Décevant.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews