Identity alteration: Difference between revisions

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'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if ~~it encompasses~~ different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, ~~if one~~ usually ~~feels~~ that they are exclusively their body ~~or "ego"~~, this ~~may suddenly change to feel as if~~ their sense of identity ~~now includes~~ the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, ~~they~~ could feel as if their sense of self ~~no longer identifies with anything~~ at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].

'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if constituted by different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, while a person may usually feel that they are exclusively their “ego” or a combination of their “ego” and physical body, during this state their sense of identity can change to include the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, a person could feel as if their sense of self embodies nothing at all, which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].

The concept of '''identity''' itself can be defined as a fundamental and near universal component of human perception that provides the experience of feeling like a self, a separate system intrinsically differentiated from the external world. This feeling is commonly referred to as one's sense of identity, ego or selfhood. In general conversation, it is referred to using pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people and any other system which is not felt to be them.

~~The concept of ''~~'identity~~''' itself~~ can be ~~defined as an essential~~ or ~~at least near universal~~ component of human ~~perception that provides people~~ the ~~experience~~ of ~~feeling as if they are~~ a ~~separate system that is intrinsically differentiated from that which is around them. This feeling is commonly referred to as one~~'s ~~sense of identity, ego or~~ selfhood. ~~In general conversation, it~~ is ~~referred~~ to through the ~~use~~ of ~~pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine"~~ and ~~"myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from~~ other people ~~or any other~~ system which ~~is not felt to be them~~.

However, it is worth noting that one's identity can be experienced in many ways rather than being a static, unmoving or objective concept that it is often assumed to be. There is no component of the human brain, body, or consciousness which can be singled out as the location of a person's individual selfhood. The self is thus speculated to be a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, the structure of language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common Western cultural conception that human beings each contain a tangible identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.

~~However~~, ~~it is worth noting that one's~~ identity ~~is not a static~~, ~~unmoving or objective concept~~ and that ~~it can be experienced in many different ways. There~~ is ~~no component of~~ the ~~human brain or~~ body ~~which can be singled out as the part of a person which~~ is inherently ~~where they as an individual are located~~. The ~~self is thus speculated to be a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination~~ of ~~experience,~~ the ~~structure of language and social interactions with other people~~. ~~This notion is in stark~~ contrast to the ~~common cultural conception that human beings each contain a~~ separate ~~physical identity~~ that is ~~a real~~ and ~~separate system from that~~ which resides ~~around it~~.

Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on the specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as monism, or nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>

Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on its specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>

In regard to identity alteration, there are a total of 5 distinct levels of identity which a person can experience during this state. These various altered states of identity have been arranged into a levelling system that orders its different states from least to most number of concepts one's identity is currently attributed to. These levels are described and documented below:

~~In regards~~ to identity alteration, there are a total of 5 distinct levels of identity which a person can experience during this state. These various ~~specific alterations~~ have been arranged into a levelling system that orders its different states from least ~~amount of concepts one's identity is attributed to,~~ to most ~~amount~~ of concepts one's identity is attributed to. These levels are described and documented below:

====1. Total absence of attributed identity (depersonalization)====

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 [[File:Self-concept.jpg|thumb|right|upright|238px|One's self-concept is made up of self-schemas, and their past, present, and future selves.]]
-'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if it encompasses different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, if one usually feels that they are exclusively their body or "ego", this may suddenly change to feel as if their sense of identity now includes the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, they could feel as if their sense of self no longer identifies with anything at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].
+'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if constituted by different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, while a person may usually feel that they are exclusively their “ego” or a combination of their “ego” and physical body, during this state their sense of identity can change to include the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, a person could feel as if their sense of self embodies nothing at all, which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].
+The concept of '''identity''' itself can be defined as a fundamental and near universal component of human perception that provides the experience of feeling like a self, a separate system intrinsically differentiated from the external world. This feeling is commonly referred to as one's sense of identity, ego or selfhood. In general conversation, it is referred to using pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people and any other system which is not felt to be them.
-The concept of '''identity''' itself can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that provides people the experience of feeling as if they are a separate system that is intrinsically differentiated from that which is around them. This feeling is commonly referred to as one's sense of identity, ego or selfhood. In general conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.
+However, it is worth noting that one's identity can be experienced in many ways rather than being a static, unmoving or objective concept that it is often assumed to be. There is no component of the human brain, body, or consciousness which can be singled out as the location of a person's individual selfhood. The self is thus speculated to be a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, the structure of language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common Western cultural conception that human beings each contain a tangible identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.
-However, it is worth noting that one's identity is not a static, unmoving or objective concept and that it can be experienced in many different ways. There is no component of the human brain or body which can be singled out as the part of a person which is inherently where they as an individual are located. The self is thus speculated to be a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, the structure of language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common cultural conception that human beings each contain a separate physical identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.
+Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on the specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as monism, or nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>
-Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on its specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>
+In regard to identity alteration, there are a total of 5 distinct levels of identity which a person can experience during this state. These various altered states of identity have been arranged into a levelling system that orders its different states from least to most number of concepts one's identity is currently attributed to. These levels are described and documented below:
-In regards to identity alteration, there are a total of 5 distinct levels of identity which a person can experience during this state. These various specific alterations have been arranged into a levelling system that orders its different states from least amount of concepts one's identity is attributed to, to most amount of concepts one's identity is attributed to. These levels are described and documented below:
 ====1. Total absence of attributed identity (depersonalization)====