Thomas Szasz: Primary Values and Major Contentions [Paperback]

Richard Vatz (Editor), Lee S. Weinberg (Editor), Thomas Szasz (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1983

Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz has been challenging the very existence of 'mental illness' for over twenty-five years. His landmark book "The Myth of Mental Illness" won him recognition as America's leading opponent of conventional psychiatric practice. Szasz argues that 'mental illness' and its supposed 'cure', psychotherapy, are myths and that there is no medical basis for treating people labelled 'mentally ill' as sick. He opposes involuntary hospitalisation and insists that people be held responsible when they break the law. "Thomas Szasz: Primary Values and Major Contentions" is the first book to contain Szasz's essential values as well as criticism of Szasz and responses from his defenders. No other book organises Szasz's major contentions in a readable and structured manner. Szasz's own words comprise the bulk of the book, which is designed as a means of introducing readers to Szasz without having to read all of his original works. The editors have selected essays and excerpts from his major works that illustrate his value system, his central arguments about human behaviour and human responsibility, and also the nature of the debate generated by these views. For students, professionals, and interested lay persons, this book contains the very best of Szasz as he grapples with such issues as: mental illness as a myth; autonomy; authenticity; humanism; drug addiction and alchoholism; schizophrenia; sexual deviance; crime and delinquency; the insanity defence; and, civil commitment. A complete bibliography of Szasz's publications is included.

Product Details

• Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; 1st edition (February 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879751886
• ISBN-13: 978-0879751883
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,085,113 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Useful synopsis of Thomas Szasz's major ideas with critiques, October 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Thomas Szasz: Primary Values and Major Contentions (Hardcover)

Thomas Szasz is a champion of individual autonomy and personal responsibility. This is his primary value.

Szasz is also regarded by some as "the most controversial psychiatrist in the world." He displays the fearless courage to question the most fundamental tenets of the entire "profession" of psychiatry.

Because of the volume of Szasz's writings - some 20 books and over 400 published articles - authors Richard Vatz (professor of rhetoric) and Lee Weinberg (professor of legal studies) have done us a great service by including Sasz's main ideas in one volume. Furthermore, to achieve balance, they've included some important critiques of Szasz's work.

Szasz's first major contention is that "mental illness" is a myth. Szasz does not deny the occurrence of unusual, unconventional, and destructive thought, communication, and behavior - and the resulting suffering - generally included under the "mental illness" umbrella. He does take issue with the semantics: the definitions, who gains from the definitions, and who loses as a result of them.

According to the authors, "To Szasz, the use of strategic metaphors - especially the camouflaged use of such metaphors - deprives humankind of its greatest freedom: autonomy. Unlike religious and democratic political persuaders who claim no false identity and implicitly recognize man's autonomy, psychiatrists present themselves as scientists and explicitly deny the right of autonomy to those whom they choose to define and control."

Szasz claims that as a result of psychiatric definitions, psychiatrits - as well as the political system through them - gain the power to effectively "convict" people, incarcerate them, and subject them to involuntary "drug treatment" and other forms of dehumanization, without trial, judge, or jury.

Another of Szasz's major contentions is that "deviant behavior is freedom of choice." To Szasz, autonomy implies that individuals own their own bodies and should be free to do with them whatever they like, provided they don't harm others. This includes taking drugs and comitting suicide.

In my opinion, one of Szasz's geatest contributions to humanity is his revelation of how words and definitions are used to gain power over others and effectively enslave them. Authors Vatz and Weinberg were remiss in that they did not include a chapter on this topic, particularly seeing that Szasz wrote two books on it: 'The Second Sin' and 'Heresies.'

Also, in my opinion, Vatz and Weinberg are mistaken in the above quote where they say, "Unlike religious and democratic political persuaders who claim no false identity and implicitly recognize man's autonomy..." Many religious leaders demand all kinds of obedience which deny man's autonomy. Some claim special identities with characteristics like "papal infallibility."

Similarly, most political leaders operate in the name of government with the special identity of having the power to solve all kinds of problems mere mortals can't handle. Most political persuaders explicitly deny man's autonomy: "You may not commit suicide"; "You may only put into your body what we permit."

In 'Heresies' Szasz wrote: "This is what poets and politicians, psychotics and psychiatrists, therapists and theologians have in common: they all deal with metaphors that sustain the dignity and lives of some and destroy those of others; and they all deal with metaphors mendaciously..."

Despite this one shortcoming, authors Vatz and Weinberg have done an excellent job in encapsulating Szasz's central ideas in one volume. They handle the closely related issues of personal autonomy and individual responsibility particularly well.

I highly recommend this book, particularly for anyone interested in freedom and its destruction.

Frederick Mann