Multiplicity of the mind school

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The multiplicity of the mind school

The multiplicity of the mind school is a philosophical approach that rejects the idea of a single, unified self and instead proposes that each person has multiple selves or aspects of the self that may be in conflict or harmony with each other. The multiplicity of the mind school draws on various sources, such as psychology, neuroscience, literature, and spirituality, to explore the complexity and diversity of human experience. The multiplicity of the mind school aims to challenge the dominant assumptions of Western culture that privilege rationality, consistency, and coherence over emotion, creativity, and contradiction. The multiplicity of the mind school also seeks to promote ethical and compassionate ways of relating to oneself and others, by acknowledging and respecting the different voices and perspectives that exist within and between us.

Some of the prominent proponents of this school are Andras Angyal, Eric Berne, John Rowan, David Lester, and Richard Schwartz, who have developed different models and techniques to explore and heal the internal family of the mind.

Some of the applications of this school include Internal Family Systems Therapy, which helps people in therapy to identify and heal their parts, and the multiple self theory of the mind, which formalizes the concept of multiplicity in terms of postulates and corollaries.

Further Reading

If you are interested in learning more about the multiplicity of the mind school, here are some weblinks for further reading:

A Multiple Self Theory of the Mind by David Lester, which presents a formal theory of the mind with 12 postulates and 49 corollaries, and compares it with other similar views by Rita Carter and Shlomo Mendelovic.

Internal Family Systems Therapy, which uses Family Systems theory to develop techniques and strategies to effectively address issues within a person’s internal community or family, and assumes each individual possesses a variety of sub-personalities or parts.

One Self or Many Selves? by Gregg Henriques, which explores the forces that influence and shape our sense of self and how we experience a multiplicity of self-states.