This accessible volume sets an ambitious goal: to help people
better understand the nature of mental illness. The term itself is
a problem for most who believe, consciously or not, that
individuals have both a mind and a body. Ronald Chase is interested
in the roots of this thinking about mental illness, and finds it in
philosophical dualism, famously promoted by Rene Descartes in the
seventeenth century. Chase believes this perspective contributes to
the stigma associated with mental illness, and argues for a
different conceptual understanding. He describes and evaluates
several alternatives, including behaviorism, physicalism, and
functionalism. He also explores whether mental states can be
reduced to brain states, and whether mental events cause things to
happen. His provocative answers suggest mind-body dualism is
outdated and misleading, and some version of physicalism is more
likely to help us understand mental illness.
Chase presents a concise outline of the science of mental
illness, with a focus on schizophrenia, noting that faulty brain
development is the fundamental cause of major mental illness. Using
detailed, but non-technical language, Chase describes how genes
combine with environmental influences to produce changes in brain
structures and functions. Chase insists on the need to understand
mental illness as a biological phenomenon, yet accepts that people
use mental terms and concepts in everyday discourse.
This scientifically sound challenge to major assumptions
currently in vogue with respect to mental illness will initiate a
new dialogue on the subject. It will be important to academics,
psychiatric professionals, and those affected by mental
illness--victims, family members, and caregivers.
General
Imprint: |
AldineTransaction
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
2012 |
First published: |
December 2011 |
Authors: |
Ronald Chase
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 18mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover - Cloth over boards
|
Pages: |
170 |
Edition: |
New |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4128-4264-8 |
Categories: |
Books >
Medicine >
Other branches of medicine >
Clinical psychology >
General
|
LSN: |
1-4128-4264-6 |
Barcode: |
9781412842648 |
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