Delusion as a folk psychological kind

Vol 17, No 2 (2016) • Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy

Autor: Jose Eduardo Porcher

Resumo:

In this paper I discuss the scientific respectability of delusion as a psychiatric category. First, I present the essentialist objection to the natural kindhood of psychiatric categories, as well as non-essentialism about natural kinds as a response to that objection. Second, I present a nuanced classification of kinds of kinds. Third, drawing on the claim that the attribution of delusion relies on a folk psychological underpinning, I present the mind-dependence objection to the natural kind status of delusion. Finally, I argue that even if delusion as a generic kind stands little chance of being vindicated as a non-essentialist natural kind, we stand to gain from a natural kind methodology regarding subtypes of delusion for which there is evidence of genuine causal signatures and mechanisms.

ISSN: ISSN: 1984-8234

Texto Completo: http://revistas.unisinos.br/index.php/filosofia/article/view/fsu.2016.172.16

Palavras-Chave: delusion,folk psychiatry,psychiatry

Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy


The journal Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy is published once every four months by Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.

Articles must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration for publication anywhere else and can be written in Portuguese, English or Spanish

Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy prints articles, translations and critical book reviews. It also reprints papers that are considered fundamental to the area when authorized written permission is given by the original publisher.