The personality is treated here for human beings only. However, some
characteristics (which are not related in a direct or indirect way with the
symbolic models), are about the same for animals.
The personality is given by the whole structure of models of a given human
being. We shall develop this very complex concept. To do this, at the
beginning, we shall see a number of features in a rather random way and then,
based on these descriptions, we shall list some important parameters which
characterize the personality.
We know from the general theory that any brain makes models and simulates the
possible evolution of these models. There are no restrictions in connection
with the aims or goals of such simulations. Even for a simple model, the
number of different simulations could be high. Of course, a model will not
make all the possible simulations.
A characteristic of the personality is associated with this diversity of aims
and goals of any model.
A structure of models could evolve in a chaotic way, out of control. Another
parameter of the personality is associated with the capability to control such
a diversity of evolution of a structure of models.
As we know from the general theory, the stability in a model is a brain
quality parameter. Thus, the aims and goals of any model have to be controlled
by a limited number of long-range models. Without such long-range models, the
structure can evolve in a chaotic way (this is a form of schizophrenia).
Faced with a new external reality, the model which gives the best predictions
of the evolution of that external reality will be activated. However, when the
external reality is complex, the main model has to activate some other models,
to be able to predict better and better the evolution of that external
reality. A parameter of the personality is the capacity to keep control of the
main activity even when the main model activates some others model. Thus, the
stability in the main model is a parameter associated with the personality.
Example: there are some persons who start from a subject and evolve in a
rather chaotic way to other subjects so that the main subject is sometimes
forgotten.
Another parameter of a personality is associated with the fact that, although
the structure of models has to be stable, the structure must be compatible
with some models imposed from outside, by education. Without some main models
imposed from outside (by education), a human being will be not compatible with
the external reality.
By education, some models must be present in any brain (some of them must be
in the PSM). Any human being is able to integrate into society, based on them.
There are now very big problems associated with education, in the present
human society. The main problem is the fact that the society (including in
most advanced countries) is evolving very fast based on symbolic models and
the education is not able to keep the pace with this fast evolution. E.g. the
usual method of education is to impose some story-type model (i.e. some models
of "how to do"-type). This method has increased too much the number of models
that must be stored by the brain and the brain is not capable anymore to store
and use all of them. Based on MDT, the normal solution should be to store some
normal models that can be tailored by each person to any specific situation.
Another parameter is associated with the tendency to think and act based on
long-range models or short-range models. Some persons behave based on a number
of long-range concept models (principles) which are used in any situation.
Other persons have specific short-range models for any specific external
reality. The personality parameter is typically situated between the two
limits mentioned above.
From the general theory, we know that some models generate knowledge and
others are used to modify the external reality. Thus, there are personalities
oriented mostly to knowledge and others are oriented mostly to change the
external reality.
There are persons who assimilate easily external models and others who prefer
to make their own models.
Also, there are image models and symbolic models.
We can make a partial matrix associated with a personality based on the
capacity to make/assimilate image/symbolic models, for instance.
Another very important parameter is associated with the content of the PSM. As
we know, a number of external models must be included in the PSM, by the
education process, so that the person is integrated in society. Unfortunately,
a lot of models could enter in PSM, in an uncontrolled way. Some of these
models could be bad models. They can be built, e.g. if a person is born and
lives (at least in childhood) in a bad environment. For a person who has such
bad models, there is still a chance to integrate in a normal society, by
making some shielding models. However, a shielding model is, usually, not safe
enough. Thus, in some situations, a person can act based on the bad models and
not based on the shielding models which had helped him/her to be accepted by
the society. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to know in advance the
content of the PSM, because the PSM acts only in very special and critical
situations. To be understood, this subject needs a lot of further work.
Here we present a general theory. It cannot go beyond some limits because the
technological implementation is, usually, not taken into account. However,
based on the theory, it is possible to develop the subject for specific
applications.
Now we shall list some parameters associated with the personality, based on
the above discussion. Some of the parameters associated with the personality
could be:
The orientation to image models
The orientation to symbolic models
The orientation to knowledge
The orientation to action on external reality
The orientation to make new models
The orientation to assimilate new models
The orientation on short-range models
The orientation on long-range models
The parameter associated with the diversity of action
The parameter associated with the stability in a model
The parameter associated with the conformity to society requirements
The parameter associated with non-standard models from PSM
A table could be made, for any person, with numerical values associated to the
above parameters. To do this, a local model must be developed. That model has
to contain a set of standard procedures to obtain such parameters.
This chapter, which is associated with the personality, refers only to normal,
mature persons (as these terms are already defined). The pathological cases
are not taken into account here. In fact, to study the pathological cases is a
nonsense before defining the normal situation.
This general theory, as it will be developed for specific situations, is
useful to understand also pathological cases. For instance, MDT defines XZM-
models (illegal models) as models which are not integrated in the normal
structure of models. Such models could be very important to issues related to
the personality, but there are still few data about XZM models.
There is another very important parameter associated with the personality,
which was not described above; it is a parameter associated to the
consciousness. Because it is so important, it will be described in a separated
section.