- A M Ludwig: Department of Psychiatry, A.B. Chandler Medical Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536.
The ways of knowing another human being are limited to personal information provided by the individual, creative expressions by the individual, personal observations of the individual, and empathic identification with the individual. Each of these sources of information, while valuable, possesses certain inherent limitations, often contributing to a distorted picture of who a person is. To a large extent, such distortions can be attributed to the still unresolved issue of what is meant by a "self." Addressing this issue allows for a more rational formulation of just who someone is.