CHAPTER 1
Section 1
Pyramid Map
I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent;curiosity, obsession and dogged endurance, combined withself-criticism, have brought me to my ideas.
—Albert Einstein
Mistakes are, after all, the foundations of truth, and if a mandoes not know what a thing is, it is at least an increase inknowledge if he knows what it is not.
—Carl Jung
1.1. Freud's Model of the Conscious
The original structural framework of the psyche model was basedon Sigmund Freud's model of the conscious. The model of theconscious is divided into three types of mental processes: conscious,preconscious, and unconscious (Figure 1).
Conscious mental processes are rational, goal-directedthoughts at the center of awareness. Preconsciousmental processes are not conscious but could becomeconscious at any point, such as knowledge of the colourof robins. Finally, unconscious mental processes areirrational, organized along associate lines rather thanby logic . . . they are inaccessible to consciousnessbecause they have been repressed—that is, kept fromconsciousness to avoid emotional distress. Unconsciousprocesses, while barred from consciousness, are notinert. Because they are not consciously acknowledged,they may leak into consciousness and affect behaviourin unexpected and often unwelcome ways ... (Burton,Westen, & Kowalski, 2009, p. 417)
Freud described the conscious as what is in active awareness,while the preconscious is "not conscious but could becomeconscious at any point, such as knowledge". The unconsciousis at the base of the model and is organized along associativelines rather than according to standard logic, and is designated ano-fly zone for the ego (see 3.1. Ego). The unconscious containsautomatic processes key to survival, such as maintainingcirculation, respiration, and so on. It also contains repressed ordistressing processes that may leak into awareness in the form ofanxiety. A leaky tap is a useful metaphor for the conscious's—ormore specifically, the ego's—access to the unconscious; it may driprarely and remain unnoticed for some time, or it may be fully openand spill over quite rapidly. If a tap represents the limited accessto the unconscious, then imagine a dam holding back the weightof an ocean to represent the unconscious itself (although in factit is much bigger even than this).
1.2. Conscious Model and Trait Theories
To further reinforce the base structure of the design, personalitytrait theories are used—here in part, with more in the followingsections—including the 16 Personality Factors (16PF; originallyproduced by Raymond Cattell) and the Five Factor Model (FFM;Goldberg, 1993; McCrae & Costa, 1997). The extroversion–introversion and anxiety/neuroticism traits are placed alongsideFreud's model of the conscious (Figure 2). The conscious relatesto extroversion and the external (Ext) world of body, objects, andpersons. The preconscious relates to introversion and the internal(Int) world of mind, thoughts, and ideas. The body and minddescribed here refer to a somatic and psychic base, not to somethingphysical. The individual sub-traits of the big five overarching traitsfrom the FFM are listed in Table 1 below.
The trait associations originate from the similarities whencompared to the conscious model. Extroversion scales up alongsidethe conscious, which is defined as what is in active awareness,and activeness is an extroversion trait. Introversion scales downalongside the preconscious, relating to the inner world of ideas andknowledge, and is the opposite of active. The separation point forextroversion–introversion in relation to the conscious model is atthe conscious–preconscious line. There is, however, some overlap,so this line is not a clearly defined one. Anxiety/neuroticism tapsinto the unconscious, so the experience of more anxiety suggestsmore unconscious influence. Neuroticism includes traits such asanxiety, sadness, and moodiness (Benet-Martinez & John, 1998).Although the unconscious is not directly accessible to the ego(see 3.1. Ego), unconscious processes may leak into awareness andmanifest as anxiety.
Hans Eysenck produced another personality theory—onethat has only three main traits and is referred to as the PEN(psychoticism, extroversion, neuroticism) model—and researchersexploring his theory reported the following:
Extroversion refers to a tendency to be sociable, activeand willing to take risks. Introverts, who score at the lowend of the extroversion scale, are characterised by socialinhibition, seriousness and caution. Neuroticism definesa continuum from emotional stability to instability. Itis closely related to the construct of negative affect.People high on neuroticism report feeling anxious,guilty, tense and moody, and they tend to have lowself-esteem. Psychoticism describes people who areaggressive, egocentric, impulsive and antisocial. Peoplelow on psychoticism are empathic and able to controltheir impulses. (Burton et al., 2009, p. 434)
Although Eysenck's PEN model is useful for the description, thepsyche model uses the personality theories with five main personalitydimensions (FFM and 16PF) for more accuracy and detail.
1.3. Moral Compass
Morals help to define what is considered right or wrong within asociety or culture. However, what is deemed right and wrong maynot equate to what is good and evil. Social and cultural moralsare actually mostly social norms. And a norm is merely a generallyaccepted way of thinking, feeling, or behaving—what most people ina group consider to be right and proper (Thibaut & Kelley, 1959).But just because something is considered right and proper or isthe accepted behaviour in a group or society does not necessarilymake it morally good. For example, a member of the Ku Klux Klanmay be subject to a norm of racial discrimination. But just becausediscriminating against people of other races is a social norm withinthe Klan, considered among that group's members to be right or tobe an acceptable way of thinking or acting, does not make it morallygood. Moral views vary depending on the individual, group, society,or culture as a whole, and they can change over time or be modifiedthrough social norms.
Morals are subject to change on a yearly, weekly, or even dailybasis, and what one considers right one day may be consideredwrong the next. Although our experience of morals can be extremelydynamic in nature, the psyche model (being a single design) requires astable and universal moral foundation. Campbell, Christopher, andBickard (2002) previously examined morality theories produced oraccepted by the field of psychology and considered them inadequate.They discussed the failings of current psychological morality theoriesby looking at morality from a different angle, taking into accounta philosophical and somewhat spiritual component of morality. I,too, perceived inadequacies in contemporary psychological moralitytheories and, as a result, looked outside the field of psychology andtowards the moral-alignment classifications described in the roleplayinggame Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). These alignments arerepresented with the moral compass (Figure 3), with an alternativecompass (Figure 4) showing a split between active and passive/neutral morals for Ext and Int.
Social and cultural norms that indicate what is acceptable moralconduct can differ between individuals and groups, yet the moralcompass and alignments from D&D provide a universal and stablemoral foundation, a one-for-all type of design. The moral oppositesof good (G) and evil (E), and the opposites of law (L) and chaos (C),represent Life and Laws respectively, and indicate an individual'svalue or respect for each. The moral compass is depicted like astandard compass, with G and E running east–west, and with L andC running north–south. True neutral (N) is dead center, having nosway in any direction (Figure 3). The distance from center suggeststhe strength of conviction towards that moral alignment. Figure 4shows an alternative compass split for active and neutral morals. Extrelates to extroverted, or active, morals, and Int refers to introverted,or passive/neutral, morals. The split between active and passivemorals also shows a difference between thoughts and actions.For example, the thought of killing is technically an evil thought(although having a bad thought does not make someone evil, per se),yet it remains neutral unless it manifests externally in an action. Thethought of killing can be changed. The act of killing cannot.
Detailed Moral Alignments
Following are the good–evil and law–chaos descriptions and ninealignment definitions reproduced from the D&D Player's Handbook(Cook, Tweet, & Williams, 2000, pp. 88–90) to describe in detailthe different moral alignments. An unedited recount is required soas to display the information as it was originally written to offer inits entirety something untainted by personal or psychological bias.The reader should note that these definitions were developed for afantasy platform, a role-playing game based on sword and sorceryin a world of orcs and goblins, wizards and warriors. Although oneis unlikely to run across a sorcerer or a paladin, the descriptionsmirror the 'real world' surprisingly easy.
Good and Evil (Life)
Good characters and creatures protect innocent life.Evil characters and creatures debase or destroy innocentlife, whether for fun or profit.
Good implies altruism, respect for life, and a concernfor the dignity of sentient beings. Good characters makepersonal sacrifices to help others.
Evil implies hurting, oppressing, and killing others.Some evil creatures simply have no compassion forothers and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient.Others actively pursue evil, killing for sport or out ofduty to some evil deity or master.
People who are neutral with respect to good andevil have compunctions against killing the innocent butlack the commitment to make sacrifices to protect orhelp others. Neutral people are committed to others bypersonal relationships. A neutral person may sacrificehimself to protect his family or even his homeland, buthe would not do so for strangers who are not relatedto him.
Being good or evil can be a conscious choice, aswith the paladin who attempts to live up to her ideals orthe evil cleric who causes pain and terror to emulate hisgod. For most people, though, being good or evil is anattitude that one recognizes but does not choose. Beingneutral between good and evil usually represents a lackof commitment one way or the other, but for some itrepresents a positive commitment to a balanced view.While acknowledging that good and evil are objectivestates, not just opinions, these folk maintain that abalance between the two is the proper place for people,or at least for them.
Animals and other creatures incapable of moralaction are neutral rather than good or evil. Even deadlyvipers and tigers that eat people are neutral because theylack the capacity for morally right or wrong behavior.
Law and Chaos (Laws)
Lawful characters tell the truth, keep their word, respectauthority, honor tradition, and judge those who fallshort of their duties. Chaotic characters follow theirconsciences, resent being told what to do, favor newideas over tradition, and do what they promise if theyfeel like it.
Law implies honor, trustworthiness, obedience toauthority, and reliability. On the downside, lawfulnesscan include closemindedness, reactionary adherence totradition, judgmentalness, and a lack of adaptability.Those who consciously promote lawfulness say thatonly lawful behavior creates a society in which peoplecan depend on each other and make the right decisionsin full confidence that others will act as they should.
Chaos implies freedom, adaptability, and flexibility.On the downside, chaos can include recklessness,resentment toward legitimate authority, arbitraryactions, and irresponsibility. Those who promotechaotic behavior say that only unfettered personalfreedom allows people to express themselves fully andlets society benefit from the potential that its individualshave within them.
People who are neutral with respect to law and chaoshave a normal respect for authority and feel neither acompulsion to obey nor to rebel. They are honest, butcan be tempted into lying or deceiving others.
Devotion to law or chaos may be a conscious choice,but more often it is a personality trait that is recognizedrather than being chosen. Neutrality with respect to lawand chaos is usually simply a middle state, a state of notfeeling compelled toward one side or the other. Somefew neutrals, however, espouse neutrality as superior tolaw or chaos, regarding each as an extreme with its ownblind spots and drawbacks.
Animals and other creatures incapable of moralaction are neutral. Dogs may be obedient and cats free-spirited,but they do not have the moral capacity to betruly lawful or chaotic.
Lawful Good (L–G), "Crusader"
A lawful–good character acts as a good person is expectedor required to act. She combines a commitment tooppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. Shetells the truth, keeps her word, helps those in need, andspeaks out against injustice. A lawful–good characterhates to see the guilty go unpunished. A paladin whofights evil without mercy and who protects the innocentwithout hesitation is lawful–good.
Lawful–good combines honor and compassion.
Neutral Good (N–G), "Benefactor"
A neutral–good character does the best that a goodperson can do. He is devoted to helping others. Heworks with kings and magistrates but does not feelbeholden to them. A cleric who helps others accordingto their needs, is neutral–good.
The common phrase for neutral–good is "truegood."
Being neutral–good means doing what is goodwithout bias toward or against order.
Chaotic Good (C–G), "Rebel"
A chaotic–good character acts as his conscience directshim, with little regard for what others expect of him.He makes his own way, but he's kind and benevolent.He believes in goodness and right but has little usefor laws and regulations. He hates when people try tointimidate others and tell them what to do. He followshis own moral compass, which, although good, may notagree with that of society. A ranger who waylays the evilbaron's tax collectors is chaotic–good.
Chaotic–good combines a good heart with a freespirit.
Lawful Neutral (L–N), "Judge"
A lawful–neutral character acts as law, tradition, orpersonal code directs her. Order and organization areparamount to her. She may believe in personal orderand live by a code or standard, or she may believe inorder for all and favor a strong, organized government.A monk who follows her discipline without beingswayed by the demands of those in need nor by thetemptations of evil is lawful–neutral.
The common phrase for lawful–neutral is "truelawful."
Being lawful–neutral means being reliable andhonorable without being a zealot.
Neutral (N), "Undecided"
A neutral character does what seems to be a goodidea. She doesn't feel strongly one way or the otherwhen it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Mostneutrality is a lack of conviction or bias rather than acommitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks ofgood as better than evil. After all, she would ratherhave good neighbours and rulers than evil ones. Still,she's not personally committed to upholding good inany abstract or universal way. A wizard who devotesherself to her art and is bored by the semantics of moraldebate is neutral.
Some neutral characters, on the other hand, committhemselves philosophically to neutrality. They seegood, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerousextremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality asthe best, most balanced road in the long run.
The common phrase for neutral is "true neutral."
Being neutral means you act naturally, withoutprejudice or compulsion.
Chaotic Neutral (C–N), "Free Spirit"
A chaotic–neutral character follows his whims. He isan individualist first and last. He values his own libertybut doesn't strive to protect others' freedom. He avoidsauthority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions.The chaotic–neutral character does not intentionallydisrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy.To do so, he would have to be motivated either by good(and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire tomake those different from himself suffer).
