Natural somnambulism
In natural somnambulism, the mind is generally engrossed by some âdominant ideaâ of its own, and cannot be directed by external suggestions, except such as may be in harmony with it.[1]
Artificial somnambulism
A condition in which the voluntary control over the current of thought is entirely suspended so that the individual is becoming for the time a mere thinking automaton, the whole course of whose ideas is determinable by suggestion operating from without, is form of artificial somnambulism. The âbiologizedâ individual cannot get rid of any notion with which he thus becomes possessed, by any effort of his own; because the abeyance of his voluntary power alike prevents him from directing him the current of his thoughts into another channel, and from having recourse to his ordinary experience for the correction of his fallacies; and so long as he is under his domination, all his conversation and actions are nothing else than an expression of it.[1]
The form of artificial somnambulism characterized by spontaneous amnesia was termed as âhyptnotismâ by James Braid.[2]
Examples
There are numerous instances on record in which the current of thought and the course of action of a natural somnambulist have been entirely governed by the suggestions of those around. Historically, among the best known early examples of natural somnabulism was one narrated by James Gregory about an Officer who served in the expedition to Louisburgh in 1758, and at whose expense his comrades were accustomed to amuse themselves.[1]
Mathematician Kurt Gödel
When he was just eight years old, mathematician Kurt Gödel read a medical textbook. After that, he become convinced that he had a week heart and this dominant idea of his own has permanently taken full possession of his mind even though his doctors could find no evidence of the condition.[3]
Natural somnambulism in Film: Some of us ... itâs lots of us
A 2006 American computer-animated film Ice Age: The Meltdown depicts the phenomenon of somnambulism at one of the main characters, Ellie. She is the only female mammoth left in the world, who, however, has a problem - she somehow thinks she is a possum ("Donât be ridiculous, Iâm not a mamooth, Iâm a possum") and refuses external suggestions ("maybe because youâre mamooth?") pointing out that evidence in form of her physical appearance suggests otherwise.[4] It takes her a while until she finally realizes she is really a mammoth and also expresses her suspicions about how different she was from other possums.[5]
LGBTI somnambulism
In case of LGBTI somnambulism, the mind of its victim is engrossed by dominant idea that a person possessing this mind was 'born that way'[6], i.e. as involuntarily forced to conduct sodomical lifestyle. The behavioral actions and related conversation of the LGBTI 'thinking automaton' are essentially nothing else than an expression of this fallacious idea.
References
- â 1.0 1.1 1.2 William B. Carpenter (1852). On the Influence of Suggestion in Modifying and directing Muscular Movement, independently of Volition. Royal Institution of Great Britain (originally). Retrieved on 2 January 2016. âMaterialien und Dokumente zum ideomotorischen (Carpenter) Effekt, hier die Originalarbeit.â
- â James Braid (2013). The Complete Writings of James Braid. Lulu.com, 140. ISBN 9781304205155. âstate of hypnotism [characterized by spontaneous amnesia, also known as "artificial somnambulism"]âÂ
- â Simon Singh (1997). Fermat's Last Theorem. Fourth Estate, 157. âAt the age of eight, having read medical textbook, he become convinced that he had a week heart, even though his doctors could find no evidence of the condition.âÂ
- â Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006). Retrieved on 9 April 2016. âManny:I knew it, I knew I wasnât the only one. Ellie: Me too, everyone falls from the tree every now and then, they just donât admit it. -Wait, what? -Some of us have a tough time holding on the branches, I mean itâs not like weâre bad or something we donât have wings to keep us up. -And you were in the tree becauseâ¦? -Ouhh, I was looking for my brothers who always get into trouble. -Brothers? You mean, there is more? -Sure, itâs lots of us. -Where? -Everywhere. Under rocks and in the wholes in the ground; usually we come at night so that birds donât carry us off. -Sid:...Youâve found another mamooth! -E:Where? Wait a minute, I thought mamooths were extinct. What are you looking at me for? -M: I donât know, maybe because youâre mamooth? -E: Me?, donât be ridiculous, Iâm not a mamooth, Iâm a possum. -M: Right, good one.â
- â Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006). Retrieved on 9 April 2016. âManny the woolly mammoth, [et al.] are still together and enjoying the perks of their now melting world. Manny may be ready to start a family, but nobody has seen another mammoth for a long time; Manny thinks he may be the last one. That is, until he miraculously finds Ellie, the only female mammoth left in the world. Their only problems: They can't stand each other--and Ellie somehow thinks she's a possum! Ellie comes with some excess baggage in the form of her two possum "brothers"-- Crash and Eddie, a couple of daredevil pranksters and cocky, loud-mouthed troublemakers. ...Biography for Ellie (Character)â
- â christopheryuan 6, 82. WaterBrook Press (2011). âIt's not something I can choose. I was born this way...I am gay. ... I went from thinking, There is something wrong with me, to, This is who I am. ... But in reality, much of the passion between us was fueled by Ecstasy - thus our relationship was fierce and intense, both good and bad."â