Dear Diana,

Well, I guess I'm on a roll now. Among the Filters I wanted to start developing within ConserveLiberty with more of a molecular biology focus, I've now begun two.

With those I was able to bring more empirical research science into it. Relevant work published that relates to either the Reality Perception Ensemble or the Habit Formation Ensemble does not address those ensembles in the same way I did in my postings. However, they all agree that the explanations for the clinically important trait examples that they gave (e.g. schizophrenia, drug addictions, etc.) had strong physiological (thus genetic) underpinnings and mechanisms of action, and that those contributions were complex, consistent with genetic and allelic heterogeneity.

Which is exactly what a "system composed of an ensemble of parts" means.

It has been wonderful to begin laying down a hypothetical foundation for rationally understanding the mechanisms of action describing truthfully how our cognitive machinery works. How our cognitive machinery:

• Delivers our ability to discern the difference between the Real and the Unreal.
• Delivers our ability to form Habits.
• Influences our perspectives and the way we experience our world.

The papers stick much more closely to data observed and treated rationally and mathematically. Years earlier we didn't have the ability to generate the biology data we do now. Within the realm of personality, perception, and behavior we were left with philosophical treatments and opinions that were much more difficult to validate as actual fact. And so our understanding was much more in flux, and impacted by other human biases. Biases that changed with time and culture. Some flawed, some not, but how to know? We've made a lot of progress!

So, what's #3 in this series?

Well, discerning the Real and the development of Habits is out there. And I'll need to edit those as I am moved by The Muse to do so. It comes to whenever I am in the mood to do so. So that got me thinking:

• Sometimes I'm into it, and sometimes I'm not.
• Sometimes I care about whatever, and sometimes I don't.
• Sometimes I'm quite optimistic and focused and driven to move forward, and sometimes I'd rather just take what comes at the moment.
  
  What sets our attitude for when and how we will take care of things? What influences "the skew" from which our moods will take their "flight?"
  
  
• Is there anything understood biologically that could shed insight on that?

And I then thought about mania and depression. Those are perhaps extreme examples on an ensembled trait scale that when more moderated unfold as what we might more normally think about as "motivated" or "not motivated". "Engaged" or "Withdrawn." "Energized" or "Lethargic." And all sorts of stuff on either side and in between.

So perhaps "Manic-Depression" would get me close (clinically, perhaps genetically) to a couple of the "altered" versions of the "Engagement Formation Ensemble" or whatever I'll wind up calling it.

And it turns out there is a lot of varied biology and biochemistry research that has been all over the whole area encompassed by Manic-Depression.

What is going to be a bit tougher about this one, though, is that narrowing the components down via molecular genetics isn't going to be very easy. The individual contributions of each of the components of the Engagement Formation Ensemble are small, and apparently often can be compensated for by other components that are around. In addition, the role of environment appears to play an even larger role than the two I've done earlier. The whole thing reminds me of cats. Trying to figure out something simple like the inheritance of cat hair color and pattern turns out to be way more complicated than in other species.

Behavior is very likely even more complex, and thus even less obvious if just looking at phenotypes. Of course, figuring something like that out can be fun for those who are sufficiently motivated.

Ah, The Engagement Formation Personality Spectrum Filter.

Let me know what you think,

David
→ The Note to Diana Collins was last updated 22 Dec 2016 15:00 PST ←

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