Paradigms In Psychiatry

Paradigms in Psychiatry By Anthony J. Fejfar, B.A., J.D., Esq., Coif © Copyright 2009 by Anthony J. Fejfar In his book, “Structures of Scientific Revolutions” Thomas Kuhn argues that there are sometimes incommensurate paradigms in science. Kuhn’s point can also be applied to Psychiatry. In the Positivist Paridigm, it is assumed that there is no logic, no reason, and no individual rights and, that those who are mentally healthy are those who irrationally follow fascist social feeling. If a patient or philosopher argues that such Psychiatry is illogical and unreasonable, the Positivist Psychiatrist simply responds that the person is mentally ill for believing in logic or reason. On the other hand, in Critical Thomist Psychiatry asserts that logic, reason, and individual rights are normative and the those who cannot think logically and who rely on fascist social feeling for Social Order are in fact schizophrenic. These two paradigms are incommensurate. Positivist Psychiatry works in a fascist Nazi or Communist society, while Critical Thomism works in a Constitutional Democracy. Thus, in a Nazi or Communist society it is Treason to be a Critical Thomist, while in a Constitutional Democracy such as the United States, it is treason to be a Positivist.