Skitzoid

EvMick@aol.com
Wed, 6 Aug 1997 10:48:42 -0400 (EDT)


Reference: Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams
: Latest book by Louis McMaster BuJold (Mirror Dance?) about
Miles' Clone Brother
: Society of the Mind by Marvin Minsky
: a variety of "split brain" studies in patients in which the
corpus collusum was surgically severed.
: various "multiple personality disorder" cases

How much of the brain does it take to support the personality? Surely the
Visual Cortex is not required for that function...nor are the areas of the
brain relating to the other senses (smell, taste, hearing, touch etc) nor
that which is required to support the metabolism. (keep the heart pumping ,
liver, kidney...etc)...ignore all of that and what have we left? What per
centage of the brain relative to it's size?

Now look at it from a different perspective. How many personalities occupy
that space?

My understanding of the "Society of Mind" and other works is that there are a
bunch. Operating sequentially and simultaneously. Split Brain studies
suggest this as well. In a well integrated "psyche" there appears to be only
one personality....not true....there are many personalities....each coming
"on line" as the situation warrants...and going dormant when not needed. All
thinking it is the only one.

Walter Jon Williams and Louis McMaster Bujold's works speculate as to what
would happen were this not the case. Suppose you had multiple personalities,
a well integrated "team" of personalities. I REALLY wish I did....have a
personallity who didn't find lifting weights to be unutterably boring....so I
could do something interesting while he was exercising the body.

EvMick
St Louis