Orgonomic Functionalism: A Journal Devoted to the work of Wilhelm Reich

Description

Scholarly journals are ordinarily composed of a variety of articles by persons working in the same discipline. It is therefore unusual to introduce a periodical devoted exclusively to the work of one man. Orgonomic Functionalism is such a publication, for it will present only writings by the Austrian-born physicianscientist Wilhelm Reich. Reich was a controversial figure who, despite persistent attempts to censor or silence his work, continues to draw interest today, more than three decades after his death. This tragic event occurred in the abysmal environment of a prison cell where he was confined following his conviction for violation of an injunction against his work obtained in 1954 by the Federal Food and Drug Administration. The injunction had been issued in default after Reich refused to enter the case, denying the court any authority in matters of basic natural research. Despite the turmoil that surrounded his life and work, there has been a sense, noted in frequent references to him, that Reich may have discovered something important. But since his work involved the investigation of life itself, a subject always relegated to the realm of mysticism, there has been little detectable interest on the part of the scientific community and thus little, if any, immanent criticism. Instead, it has been fashionable to discredit Reich personally, thereby diverting attention from a serious inquiry into the nature of his findings.