Yes, we can draw a parallel between the concept of dualism as a way of making sense of the world and the psychological mechanism of "splitting" seen in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Both involve a fundamental tendency to categorize and separate phenomena into distinct, often opposing, parts in order to make sense of complex realities.
### Dualism as a Way of Understanding
Philosophically, dualism is the practice of distinguishing between two opposing or distinct elements, such as mind and body, good and evil, or subject and object. This form of thinking helps structure our understanding of reality by simplifying the complexities of existence into more manageable, polarized categories. It reflects a deep-rooted cognitive tendency to create binary distinctions as a way to grasp the complexities of the world, allowing us to impose order on what might otherwise seem chaotic or incomprehensible.
### Splitting as a Primitive Dualism
In the psychological context, "splitting" is a defense mechanism often associated with borderline personality disorder, where individuals see people or situations in extreme, all-or-nothing terms (e.g., viewing someone as entirely good or entirely bad). It’s a primitive mechanism because it arises from a more basic level of psychological functioning, where the capacity to hold and integrate ambiguity or complexity is underdeveloped.
This "splitting" can be seen as a form of primitive dualism, in that it reflects an inability to reconcile opposing qualities into a cohesive whole. Just as dualism divides reality into two distinct categories, splitting divides emotional or interpersonal experiences into extremes, often to reduce anxiety or manage overwhelming feelings.
### Primitive Dualism and Development
From a developmental perspective, the capacity to hold both good and bad aspects of a person, situation, or self in a unified understanding evolves with maturity. In childhood, and in certain psychological conditions like BPD, this ability is still forming or impaired, leading to the more rigid, polarized thinking of splitting.
Thus, it is fair to say that splitting represents a kind of "primitive dualism," where the world is divided into extreme, separate categories in an attempt to make sense of overwhelming experiences. Over time, through emotional development or therapeutic intervention, individuals can develop the capacity for more nuanced, integrated thinking, moving beyond this primitive dualism.
In summary, dualism can be seen as a general way humans make sense of the world through distinctions. Splitting in BPD can be considered a primitive form of this dualistic thinking, where emotional experiences are divided into extremes to cope with psychological distress.
