Above is an image of the original cover of the first edition of the book.
Click on the blue links below to read comments.Â
Objectively    Impartial    Criticism
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Above is an image of the original cover of the first edition of the book.
Click on the blue links below to read comments.Â
Objectively    Impartial    Criticism
ALL is fully capitalized and Everything is not. Capitalization indicates the Absolute or at least something at a very high level. So perhaps ALL refers to the Absolute (as a unity), and Everything to the multiplicity of things at all the various levels of the Megalocosmos.
While the book is generally known as Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson, as the cover clearly indicates, that is not the first of its two titles. That honor goes to "An Objectively Impartial Criticism of the Life of Man."
This primary title is wrapped in quotes, indicating that we should ponder its meaning.
BEELZEBUB'S TALES TO HIS GRANDSON is capitalized, typographically indicating that its meaning should be taken as sacred. This could be an indication from the Gurdjieff that the book is scripture.
Objectivity is a fundamental concept in the Work, in that what we experience is subjective, originating from our inner world, whereas the world we participate in is objective—a common reality (at our level).
By declaring his criticism to be objective, Gurdjieff is indicating that what he describes is common to us all. We are left to determine whether his criticism is indeed impartial.
The etymology of the word is simple enough. Originally, in the philosophical sense it means "considered in relation to its object" from Medieval Latin objectivus, from objectum "object." It implies impartiality.
The concept of impartiality looms large in The Work. It is an individual aim to be able to be impartial.
The etymology of the word is uncomplicated: "not partial, not favoring one over another," 1590s, from assimilated form of in "not, opposite of" + partial, "biased, favoring one over another."