Personal Statement. (first draft(update))

My choices of subjects are Psychology, Statistics and Philosophy.

I want to try and understand the human mind, emotions and abnormalities in these. I have a mathematical mind and see it as an art form. The ways in which people try and understand the world are of interest to me.

I read “Shrinks” from the Granta series, the experiments described in it, I found interesting. One in particular, was the experiment on obedience by a professor named Stanley Milgram, where it was discovered that people tend to do things because of where they are, not who they are, and we are slow to see it.

I take an interest in documentaries of a psychological, mathematical or even of a philosophical nature. For example, “The Net” a documentary about an anti-technology mathematician who is imprisoned for several bombings. The documentary shows through a series of letters written from prison, how the mind of the “Unabomber” -as he’s called- works. The insight into this individual was of great interest to me, his maths, his ways of looking at the world, all could be discovered by analysing what he was saying.

On-line psychological tests have always been of interest to me. It’s like a hobby of mine. I try and figure out how it all works, how answering just a few questions can give such a close to truth analysis.

I’ve recently become every interested in what makes people who they are, how the way people are brought up effects what they are like. If things can be sorted out at an early age, it might change the world.

During my work experience as an administrator at the Glasgow Film Theatre, I discovered new skills in a career solely involved in computers. This was when I discovered that I was more interested in people. When I found the Psychology course I found I could combine this interest in people with my mathematical mind.

The reason I am deferring this entry is because I need to develop my independent learning ability and to study a few things that I did not get a chance to this year e.g. RMPS, and also to further my knowledge in other subjects like maths.

I am a student of the martial arts (Jodo – The way of the staff). This is a state of mind, a philosophy and a use of mathematics is also involved. I enjoy it greatly, as it keeps my mind sharp.