We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Traditionally the aim of science has been to discover the truth about the world. The aim of psychiatric theory has, if anything, been even more ambitious, in so far as it has not only tried to discover the truth about mental illness, but also to use this knowledge to treat mental disorders, and so to make the world a better place.
Unfortunately, despite these noble objectives, when one looks back through history, the results have been disappointing. Considering scientific theories in general, the pessimistic induction is well known: when we look back at the history of science we see a long succession of rejected theories. The best scientists have been wrong over and over again. Given that current scientists are no cleverer than their predecessors, the odds are that our current best theories will also turn out to be wrong. Turning specifically to psychiatry, the evidence of history tells a yet grimmer tale. When we look back at psychiatric theory we see a long succession of theories that have not only been false, but have also been biased against the least powerful members of society.1 What has gone wrong? That is, how has psychiatric theory tended to be wrong and biased against the least powerful? And, how might we make things better?
In this chapter, I shall consider the extent to which various types of valueladenness might account for the poor track record of past psychiatric theory.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
