Psychiatry and Philosophy of Science (Philosophy and Science) - Tapa blanda

"An excellent resource for undergraduate students in philosophy, in the sciences or in medicine, but also for more advanced scholars who will appreciate the sophisticated appraisal of methods, theories and practices in psychiatry." - Mind "A significant contribution to the burgeoning literature on the philosophy of psychiatry and deserves to be widely read." - Analysis Reviews "This book shows the relevance of 'good sense' analytic philosophy to psychiatric research and practice. It would make an excellent and thought-provoking introduction to those interested in exploring the fruitful interface between psychiatry and the philosophy of science." - Psychological Medicine "An excellent book, written in a clear, unadorned style. Cooper has a real knack for arranging and then summarizing complex philosophical positions with brevity and perspicuity. A splendid text for second- and third-year undergraduates.A" - Jennifer Radden, editor of The Philosophy of Psychiatry: A Companion

"Psychiatry and Philosophy of Science" explores conceptual issues in psychiatry from the perspective of analytic philosophy of science. Through an examination of those features of psychiatry that distinguish it from other sciences - for example, its contested subject matter, its particular modes of explanation, its multiple different theoretical frameworks, and its research links with big business - Rachel Cooper explores some of the many conceptual, metaphysical and epistemological issues that arise in psychiatry. She shows how these pose interesting challenges for the philosopher of science while also showing how ideas from the philosophy of science can help to solve conceptual problems within psychiatry. Cooper's discussion ranges over such topics as the nature of mental illnesses, the treatment decisions and diagnostic categories of psychiatry, the case-history as a form of explanation, how psychiatry might be value-laden, the claim that psychiatry is a multi-paradigm science, the distortion of psychiatric research by pharmaceutical industries, as well as engaging with the fundamental question whether the mind is reducible to something at the physical level. "Psychiatry and Philosophy of Science" demonstrates that cross-disciplinary contact between philosophy of science and psychiatry can be immensely productive for both subjects and it will be required reading for mental health professionals and philosophers alike.