Philosophy of Science & Mental Health

Philosophy of Science & Mental Health

On Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday evenings of 2 - 4 June and 9 - 11 June 2014
From 18:00 to 20:30

Venue: 215 Orion Avenue, Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria

Mon, 2 June 2014, 18:00 - 20.30
Science in Mental Health and Psychopathology What is science? Kinds of knowledge and science. How do we get to scientific knowledge? Rationalism. Scientific observations and theories, comparing physics and psychopathology. Logical-empiricism and observations of symptoms, signs, and causes in mental health. Arguments against the separation of observations and theory.   Tue, 3 June 2014, 18:00 - 20.30
Scientific Status of Psychiatry & Psychology
Traditional views of science in psychiatry & psychology. Current scientific status of psychiatry, looking critically at the need to defend its place in medicine. Lessons from the case of psychoanalysis considered as a science, a failed science, folk psychology, or a hermeneutic reconstruction.   Wed, 4 June 2014, 18:00 - 20.30
Evidence Based Mental Health & the Problem of Induction Evidence Based Mental Health / Medicine (EBM) in the wake of Hume’s problem of induction. Responses from epistemology and sociology on induction. Theory testing and progress of knowledge. Falsification and null hypotheses. Paradigm shifts, context and content dependencies. Top-down influence of theory on evidence and bottom up dependence of theory on evidence in EBM.   Mon, 9 June 2014, 18:00 - 20.30
Causal Reasoning and Diagnosis of Mental Disorder Causal & deductive-nomological accounts of explanation. Tacit knowledge and clinical skills in making a diagnosis. Kinds and complexities of causation. Natural laws, accidents, probability, and the space of reasons. Natural and human sciences in mental health.   Tue, 10 June 2014, 18:00 - 20.30
Diagnostic Classifications: Purposes, Structure & Worth What count as a good diagnostic classification? What is classified and what should be classified diagnostically? Natural, pracitical and other kinds. Scientific realism in psychiatric classification and physics.   Wed, 11 June 2014, 18:00 - 20.30
Scientific Validity of Diagnostic Classifications A half century of resolves for a diagnostic classifications. Hemple and Lewis in developing an “atheoretical” classification compared to current aspirations. Dealing with complexities of causes and descriptions in psychiatric classifications. Is the cause of schizophrenia not known or not allowed? How should diagnostic classification develop?

Reserve your place at [email protected]
   Enquiries: Professor CW (Werdie) van Staden Head: Division of Philosophy & Ethics of Mental Health School of Medicine, University of Pretoria [email protected]

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