Transformative Experience: Understanding Self-Change

Transformative experiences are characterized by their ability to fundamentally change a person's sense of self. They involve an encounter that both lacks essential details and brings about a complete transformation, destroying certain aspects of the current self and creating a new one. Examples of transformative experiences include becoming a parent or undergoing a major illness. The person facing such an experience often knows some essential details, but the true nature of the transformation can only be understood once it occurs. Regret is rare in transformative experiences, as the individual values who they have become as a result. This understanding of transformative experiences raises questions about rational decision-making, empathy, future bias, and the relationship between past, present, and future selves.