Review – Thomas S. Szasz: The Man and His Ideas
by Jeffrey A. Schaler, Henry Zvi Lothane, and Richard E. Vatz (Editors)
Routledge, 2017
Review by Bob Lane
Aug 13th 2017 (Volume 21, Issue 32)
Have an interest in “mental illness”? Or, perhaps the mind/body problem as articulated in Cartesianism? Or, philosophy of language – if we can name it does that mean it exists? Or, nominalism/idealism questions – do abstract objects exist? Or, how about Russell’s teapot – Russell’s teapot was an analogy first coined by the philosopher Bertrand Russell, to refute the idea that the onus lies somehow upon the sceptic to disprove the unfalsifiable claims of religion or any scientific or philosophic endeavour? Or, mental illness in general – does it exist? If so, just what is it? Or, free will/determinism? Or, is there a pill for every abnormal condition in the human condition? What is the nature of addiction? Cults? Aeschylus and schizophrenia? Philosophy of mind? Interdisciplinary studies? Neroscience? Psychiatry? Interested in knowing more about Thomas Szasz? All of the above? Any of the above?
Your review led me to find “The Myth of Mental Illness” and to start to read it.
That’s what a review is supposed to do! Thanks.
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Note from David Herman:
glad you liked the new book on Szasz!
I shared your review with the editors who were glad to see it.
I am afraid the tide is going the other way and it may be a long time before Szasz is again taken seriously.
Sincerely,
David Herman
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