So far

The conclusion of the first two chapters really doesn't amount to much. Considerable anecdotal evidence already exists concerning the state of the human mind and the effect of the soul on the body. The path to happiness is different for various people; if the goal is a happy, fulfilled life then dianetics is not the only system that will achieve this goal.

The goal, a least in the initial stages, is to become clear of all aberrations; overcome all things which cause you problems. It leaves me puzzled as to why all aberrations have to be eliminated; why can they not be comfortably controlled, like someone with a nut allergy who has a solid grip of their situation and doesn't feel suppressed by their situation?

Also, with no guarantee given that a clear will restore full vision, for example, a person with such an impairment will continue to be aberrated and never achieve clear. From what I have read so far, the achievement of clear is difficult to attain and even once achieved can easily be lost; the human condition is a perpetually fluid state.

However, the value to the individual of chasing this state of being can be considered a laudable goal; to want to be a better person is never an achievement that should be looked down on or made little of ... there are too many people in this world who never aspire to anything and will never achieve a smile on their face.

So, wanting to better oneself is a positive step forward; there is enough evidence to suggest a strong link between mental and physical well being and mental health is woefully underestimated in our modern society.

So far there is little in the way of what dianetics actually delivers beyond suggestive links. There is no evidence or reference to, at this point, research other than the socially anecdotal.

As to the effects of psychiatry ... who knows; it has certainly been responsible for some horrific treatments in its youth as it is relatively a very young science, but has transformed itself in the last twenty or thirty years ... now it is effectively a mirror to the soul, allowing the soul to examine and adjust itself. It still has a considerably long way to go and there is doubt as to whether psychiatry can ever achieve anything with the human mind which the mind itself does not want to achieve.