Rewriting the Soul

Ian Hacking's 'Rewriting the Soul' explores the historical emergence of our ways of thinking about the mind, particularly in relation to mental disorders.

The book examines how cultural factors, diagnostic criteria, media attention, and therapeutic practices shape both the manifestation and the recognition of mental disorders like multiple personality disorder.

Hacking tracks the astonishing increase in diagnoses of multiple personality disorder and explores how the way we categorize and understand mental states can influence how they appear.

He distinguishes between earlier ideas like double consciousness and later concepts of multiple personality, highlighting the complex interplay between internal states and external influences in shaping identity.

The book cautions against retroactive diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of understanding mental disorders within their specific historical and social contexts.