Mind, brain, and mental illness: an introduction to the philosophy of mind
K W M Fulford, Tim Thornton, George Graham
Oxford Textbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry July 13, 2006 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198526940.003.0022 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Key points | Argues that mental health practitioners' expertise in the mental makes philosophy of mind their domain, while abnormal phenomena in practice should attract philosophers; laments the historical mutual avoidance between the fields. |
Abstract
Abstract Mental health practitioners—users of services and carers, nurses, general practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc.—claim a spe- cial expertise in the mental. The philosophy of mind should thus be, uniquely, their philosophy. Conversely, mental health practice, given the remarkable range of abnormal mental phenomena with which it is concerned, should be uniquely interesting to philosophers of mind. Yet for much of the twentieth century, the two sides, philoso- phers and practitioners, have studiously avoided each other.