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Frank R. Wallace

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For the gangster, see Frank Wallace.
File:Frank R Wallace.jpg
Frank R. Wallace

Frank R. Wallace (pen name of Wallace H. Ward, Sr.) (1932–2006) was an American scientist, philosopher, and businessman best known as the originator of the philosophy of Neo-Tech — a neo-objectivist philosophy. Neo-Tech is held to be a "dynamic" form of Objectivism, in contrast to Randian Objectivism which Wallace regards as being "static". Ward sought, by developing Neo-Tech, to eliminate epistemological mysticism from the world. Wallace said he was driven by the desire for biological immortality. He believed that mysticism is an impediment to science and freedom and that if it is eliminated, economic freedom will prevail, technology will advance, and commercial biological immortality will be achieved. He maintained that this is possible in our lifetimes. Before turning to philosophy, Wallace was a research chemist for E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, with a doctorate in Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry. Wallace was a member of Sigma Xi, the honorary research society.

The idea of Neo-Tech was spawned by Wallace's studies in the cognitive aspects of poker, where he saw mysticism being an important part of the dynamics of poker games. His authored the book, Poker: A Guaranteed Income for Life by Using the Advanced Concepts of Poker. In that book, he coins the term "neocheating" which is the manipulation of mysticism in others to gain income. Neo-Tech is supposed to be used as a defense against neocheaters in the real world.

Wallace also owned Integrated Management Associates, a publishing company that publishes books and articles by various writers (including himself) concerning Neo-Tech. Prior to Integrated Management Associates, Wallace owned I & O Publishing Company which also primarily published materials related to Neo-Tech.

Wallace opposed income tax on principle. As a result, he had serious legal issues with the IRS. In 1986, IRS agents raided his home and seized records, documents, and cash. On March 29 1990 Wallace placed a large billboard across the street from a Federal courthouse with a message directed at IRS officers inside. He was arrested later that day. In 1993, Wallace was convicted of tax evasion for not filing income tax returns for the years 1983, 1984, and 1985 and served a prison sentence.[1]

In court, Wallace, requested to replace the word "truth" with the phrase "fully integrated honesty" in the oath required in U.S. courts before testifying. The court initially refused to allow him to testify, but he appealed this to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals which then ruled that this form of the oath was permissible.[2]The oath to which he agreed was read to him in court as follows: "Do you affirm to speak with fully integrated Honesty, only with fully integrated Honesty and nothing but fully integrated Honesty?" He reasoned that "truth" is subject to manipulation whereas "honesty" is not. In his opening statement in court, he explained:

"We all know that truth for one may not be truth for another. Truth varies with condition or context. And, an unlimited number of conditions or contexts exist. Thus, without an anchor to honesty, anyone can manipulate truth to serve harmful agendas. Truth, therefore, can serve bad laws -- subjective laws, which mean arbitrary laws designed to advance self-serving political, bureaucratic, and personal agendas.By contrast, everyone knows what honesty is. It is the same for everyone. No one can manipulate honesty. Honesty, therefore, can serve only good law -- objective law, which means consistent law independent of political, bureaucratic, or personal agendas."[3]

On January 26 2006 while Wallace was jogging in Henderson, Nevada, he was struck and killed by a car. He was 73 years old. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

References

  1. ^ U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, I & O PUBLISHING CO INC V IRS, Case no. 96-70117, filed 12/16/97
  2. ^ Koerner, Brendan I. How Did We Get Our Oath?, Slate.com, April 30, 2004.
  3. ^ Wallace, Frank R. The Golden-Helmet Trial, The Golden Helmet Versus Armed Bureaucracies.

See also

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