| Abstract: | There is no inconsistency in maintaining, on the one hand, that man is morally accountable for most of his misdeeds and that psychological rather than medical training is basic to competence in the personality disorders, "and affirming, on the other hand, that the latter disorders are genuine manifestations of illness." On these points, issue is taken with the positions of Szasz (1960) and Mowrer (1960). "Szasz' (1960) contention that the concept of mental illness 'now functions merely as a convenient myth' is grounded on four unsubstantiated and logically untenable propositions" which are specified and criticized. "Definition of behavior disorder in terms of sin or difficulties associated with ethical choice and responsibility would substitute theological disputation and philosophical wrangling about values for specifiable quantitative and qualitative criteria of disease." From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2JA69A. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
