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Complex Psychological Disorders
The management of complex and relatively minor psychological disorders is commonplace in the Civilised Galaxy |
 Image from John B |
(also known as Dysatomikotita, Duxiong)
With improved access to the workings of the human mind via direct neural linkage, neuropsychology, advanced modelling techniques and eventually uploading, the study of the human mind and the mind of other thinking bionts became a large and highly technical field. Psychological theories which could only be confirmed by subjective impression could be tested by direct measurement and reproduction of brain states on an experimental basis; but the world of the mind was found to far more complex and diverse than hitherto expected. However with the emergence of transapient minds with far greater complexity than even a biont brain, the complexity of the mind of a modosophont could be modelled and managed to a remarkable extent.The theory of Complex Psychological Disorders has its basis in an application of First Federation Age chaos theory to psychology. Though the theory was disputed for many millenia, by 4000 a.t. it was widely accepted by most experts due to the amount of experimental evidence, and transapient support. Though the original paper named the phenomenon Complex Psychological Disorders, various psychological and philosophical schools have given it many other names such as pyronese Dysatomikotita or the Penglaiese Duxiong.
In layman terms a CPD is a small group of tiny personality traits that causes an individual problems in a way not immediately noticeable. Diagnosis of a CPD requires the careful analysis of a century or more of the individual's past, looking at episodes which have noticeable decreases in any of the individual's preferred traits such as happiness, productibility or loyalty to a specific creed. By analysing the episodes, the diagnostics program may find that a group of tiny personal trait are responsible for the episodes. Such traits can be modelled, located within the individual's mind using neuropychological techniques, and removed or modified, either physically or indirectly using advanced memetic tools. The mental manipulations to remove the CPD are so small, that even close friends often don't notice the difference in a person's personality, after the CPD has been removed. The only immediately noticeable change is the reduction of unwanted symptoms and episodes.
While the traditional theory regarded CPDs in only an entirely personal perspective, CPDs are also studied as a memetic tool. While the subject of study cannot correctly be called Complex Psychological Disorders, it is the same avoidance (or creation) of events by the manipulation of unnoticeable personal traits that the memetists study. Due to the amount of actors, the manipulation of these small traits can have macroscopic societal effects, even if the change in behavior in each individual is hardly noticeable. Though these studies are most often used in memetic attack and defence, some polities or groups regard the retaining of certain globally effecting traits as unlawful, and require that they be removed.
There also are a number of Outer Volumes polities, such as the Penguin Confederation to rimward, which require the insertion of traits which they have projected to be beneficial to society. However, this practice is considered to be in conflict with the bill of sophont rights by most Sephirotic polities.
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Development Notes
Text by Thorbørn Steen
Initially published on 02 October 2007.
Initially published on 02 October 2007.
