Insanity: The Idea and Its Consequences - Softcover

Szasz, Thomas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0815604602 ISBN 13: 9780815604600

Publisher: Syracuse University Press, 1997

Synopsis

The idea of insanity pervades every aspect of our daily lives. Thomas Szasz contends that the term actually functions as a euphemism for problems in living, as an excuse for crime and misbehaviour, as a stigma for invalidating adversaries - and, generally, as a metaphor and legal fiction. In ""Insanity"", Dr. Szasz presents a systematic articulation of the precise character and practical consequences of the idea of mental illness. He shows the way to a better understanding of this almost universally misunderstood condition by first establishing the scientific criteria and linguistic conventions we use for deciding what constitutes bodily disease, and then demonstrating the metaphorical character of the ""diseases"" that affect the mind rather than the brain. This book was originally published in 1987 by John Wiley.

About this title

About the Author:

Thomas Szasz (1920-2012) was professor of psychiatry emeritus at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York and adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, Washington, DC. He was a prominent figure in the anti-psychiatry movement and a critic of the moral and scientific foundation of psychiatry.

From the Back Cover:

In this book, Dr. Szasz challenges the way both science and society define insanity; in the process, he helps us better understand this often misunderstood condition.

About this edition

• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0815604602
• ISBN 13: 9780815604600
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 434