Psychology and philsophy.

I feel that psycholpgists interfere with philosophy
and seek to translate controversial philosophies
into disorder.

For example, "the ubermench" ideal of Nieztche
becomes only an overcompensation of being powerless.
Nihilistic writers are accused of psychopathi etc.

Morality becomes a psychological common sense
and intellectualism becomes an rationale of the insane.

So psychology is destroying philosophy, particulary moral relativism, ethical egoism, hedonism and nihilism,

The human ability to contemplate life and chose a way of thinking
is violated.

We are reduced to have mindsets only because of disorders.


A persons chosen philosphy to have certain features as part of the philosophy, is ignored.

I don't think psychology is destroying philosophy by any means. In fact, I think it helps it a lot. Psychology uses philosophy in many ways. From research to psychotherapy psychologists utilize their own philosophy and other philosophies from philosophers. Philosophy by itself can not aid human existence but when applied to psychology it becomes much stronger.

As for your claim that the way of human thinking is violated, psychologists will try to help someone if their way of thinking is maladaptive. So, its not so much hindering people, its helping.

What I wonder is: Can philosophical beliefs and thought give rise to psychological disorder?

I want to agree with you guys but personally I don't want to be running around nihilisticly thinking I am above it all. I want to be able to hold a decent job and live normally and have a good psych who will prescribe me the right drugs.

I agree that drugs dumb us down a little but at the same time they get us stable. Noone wants to be alone and without drugs you will end up a screaming bum on the street.

boxcard wrote:What I wonder is: Can philosophical beliefs and thought give rise to psychological disorder?

My answer would be Yes. Or would it be psychological disorder that's giving rise to certain kind of philosophy? I remember my own attraction to Arthur Schopenhauer's nihilism.

Sawyer wrote:

boxcard wrote:What I wonder is: Can philosophical beliefs and thought give rise to psychological disorder?

My answer would be Yes. Or would it be psychological disorder that's giving rise to certain kind of philosophy? I remember my own attraction to Arthur Schopenhauer's nihilism.

I knew a woman who was writing a book, or so she said, about hearing voices and that the truth is the people hearing voices have just evolved mentally farther than people who cannot. I don't know but this thing in the back of my head said that I listen to him or something bad will happen.

I do think that alot more people hear voices than what statistics say because statistically hearing voices is a bad thing but to some people they might enjoy it.

whero wrote:I want to agree with you guys but personally I don't want to be running around nihilisticly thinking I am above it all. I want to be able to hold a decent job and live normally and have a good psych who will prescribe me the right drugs.

I agree that drugs dumb us down a little but at the same time they get us stable. Noone wants to be alone and without drugs you will end up a screaming bum on the street.

I think that yeah, this is what it all boils down to. I am reminded of the protagonist in After Dachau by Daniel Quinn (probably an obscure reference), how he was ultimately forced to realize that for all his yelling about the "truth" of his world, ultimately, "no one cares". It seems too much that often times philosophical conclusions are far removed from how most people think and that they are directly in opposition to common thought. Also, many imply an alternate way of living that is too far-removed to effectively apply. People usually find all of this too tiring and isolating, and like you said, "no one wants to be alone."

I am inclined to believe that philosophy comes from psychology, at least the philosophy that concentrates on the human condition, like nihilism, existentialism, and all the others Wise Guy mentioned. The arguments for following certain philosophies at least are personal. For example, I personally subscribe to moral relativism through and through, but I know others who basically "want" at least some moral absolutism and believe it firmly (and not without good reason.) Many times reasons are purely emotional (hedonism "feels wrong" or nihilism is "depressing").

But I do believe also that some psychology comes from philosophy. In the early 20th century, the philosopher Otto Weininger committed suicide after logically concluding that being Jewish and female (or male homosexual, in his case) was a failure to overcome earthly desires and undeserving of life. Kind of interesting...

whero wrote:I knew a woman who was writing a book, or so she said, about hearing voices and that the truth is the people hearing voices have just evolved mentally farther than people who cannot. I don't know but this thing in the back of my head said that I listen to him or something bad will happen.

I've heard of one theory that our ancient ancestors lacked a strong connection between the brain hemispheres and that the gods and spirits that spoke to them were one hemisphere speaking to the other. So in that case, hearing voices I guess would be an atavism of sorts.

Yeah but really what it is, is a misinterpretation in the brain, where the person is mishearing words and recycling it for themselves. I do this alot when I am cooking and people are talking in the bar, and I hear them talking about stuff on the TV and I think they are talking about what I am doing, then I get really focus and blur it all out.

Interesting questions raised in this thread.

Basically the relationship between philosophical worldviews and functioning in society is treated in Ingmar Bergman films. He articulated what is called the 'existential crisis' which basically people either navigate successfully or it kind of brings them down.

Versions of an existential cricis are midlife crisis, becoming aware of mortality, 'loosing religion,' etc.

The Seventh Seal is an allegory of the existential crisis in the individual and has a variety of responses, from insanity, to criminal activity, to religious fervor, to intellectualism, to the protagonist, who combines these.