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Doctor Who Psychology: A Madman with a Box by Travis Langley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Over the years there has been much supplementary literature or hard science literature on science fiction books and shows, for example, there are books on the science of Star Trek, on the science of Dune, on the science of Battlestar Galactica. I think I read one on the science of Krypton or Superman but that was a long time ago. I really enjoyed these type of books. During the last wizard World Comic in Philadelphia, I ran into a new type of book.

Is a series of books that's called the psychology of..., for example, the psychology of Star Wars or the psychology of Doctor Who. In fact, I have one of these books and the whole title book is, "Unauthorized Doctor Who psychology A madman with a box" edited by Travis Langley. Before I bought the book my wife and I had an interesting conversation with him, and he then signed the book for us.

These books are a collection of papers written by many psychologists and psychiatrists on the psychological makeup or personalities of the characters in these books and shows. Let us ask the question why do we like or dislike each character in these books and shows? For example, in Star Wars, we all know The Empire is written to be evil and despotic. Yet we are drawn to certain Characters even though they are evil. In the first Trilogy, for the first two movies, who liked Darth Vader? Yet the third movie has changed our perspective of him from evil into a hero. (remember Vader tortured his own daughter). We wanted Luke to kick his arse. (well at least I did)

Afterward, more movies were done centering on (drum roll please) Anakin Skywalker who became Darth Vader. Dr. Lanley book focus on those traits and why we like them or not. In fact, he told my wife and me that one of the most violent creatures in the first trilogies were the Ewoks. But people find them cute and fuzzy. As a civilization, you really wouldn't want those creatures as your neighbors.

This aroused my interest, so I bought the Dr. Who book. After all the Doctor is a classic case of Multiple Personality Disorder. I was impressed. All 12 doctors were analyzed. The information was very well documented. It gave me a lot to think about what drives a character in a book. Or more so what motives a writer to embed a certain trait in a character, or even is the writer aware of how he is building his character. I am not a writer.

In Dr. Who, the question raises about how his brain function, if he regenrates, his brains cell should as well and should affect his personality. Why not, his appearance changes and those are genetic changes, why not his brain? when a brain change, so does a personality, this aspect is also covered in the book with real human examples. Since the Doctor doesn't actually die, his memory stays, hence his vast knowledge and wisdom. But since his brain changes, the way his brain uses the information stored is modified.



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