Re: Multiple Personalities

Anders Sandberg (nv91-asa@nada.kth.se)
Fri, 1 Nov 1996 17:50:50 +0100 (MET)


On Thu, 31 Oct 1996, David Musick wrote:
a very well-written description of how he/they consisted of different
subpersonalities and how they interrelate.

My experiences agree quite well with this, I also feel like a society of
subsystems from time to time. One of the more fascinating ways of
liberating your creativity is to call them to a meeting and brainstorm.

I wouldn't call them personalities, I prefer subminds, since most lack
clear personality (although they might develop it). By concentrating on
them, naming them and thinking of them they can become more individual.

As I see it, it is an useful exercise to tear down the illusion of "one
mind in one brain", it gives you a much healthier view of yourself and
your behavior. At the same time, it is important to be able to cohere
into a single being too when needed - maybe one could develop exercises
for this?

> Our internal culture is actually quite different than the culture between
> humans, because our methods of communication are quite different.

My guess is that posthuman beings will be constructed in roughly the same
way, although the subminds may be of human or greater intelligence and
contain subsubminds, and so on.

> Of course, we don't consider multiple personalities to be a "disorder".
> That's just the way things are for us. If our internal organization
> interfered with our goals, then it could be considered a "disorder"

A very good definition. I usually define something as "disease" or
"unhealth" if it limits the victim's possibilities - if it instead
enhances them it is good.

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Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension!
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