Books in the International Perspectives in Philosophy & Psychiatry series

Bringing together philosophers and psychiatrists, this book explores the conceptual issues raised by this common illness. Examining the nature of personal identity in dementia, it also shows how the lives and selfhood of people with dementia can be enhanced by attention to their psychosocial and spiritual environment.

Drawing on a variety of philosophers such as Descartes, Locke, Hume, Wittgenstein, this book explores the nature of personal identity in dementia. It shows how the lives and selfhood of people with dementia can be enhanced by attention to their psychosocial and spiritual environment. It is written by leading figures in psychiatry and philosophy.

Schizophrenia has been investigated predominately from psychological, psychiatric and neurobiological perspectives. This book is unique in examining it from a philosophical point of view. It should appeal to every reader who wants to better understand this major mental illness, providing unique insights into the 'experience' of schizophrenia.

This book presents a unique examination of mental illness. Though common to many mental disorders, delusions result in actions that, though perhaps rational to the individual, might seem entirely inappropriate or harmful to others. This book shows how we may better understand delusion by examining the nature of compulsion.

With ever more detailed models of the neurobiological and social systems out of which schizophrenia is born, it is possible to overlook how suffering persons actually experience their symptoms.This book examines the experiences of persons who suffer from schizophrenia. It provides a highly readable and humane examination of this common condition.

Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, and the A-Rational Mind provides a powerful re-appraisal of psychoanalysis and the role it can play in helping us understand human nature. It explores basic psychological phenomena- beliefs, desires, phantasies, wishes - examining a range of fascinating case histories, and explaining their significance.

Drawing on philosophical and scientific theory, this book addresses key issues in the philosophy of psychiatry. Philosophical theories are brought to bear on the questions of the explanation of behaviours. It also covers the nature of mental causation, the origins of major disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, and personality disorder.

The discussion of whether psychopaths are morally responsible for their behaviour has long taken place in philosophy. In recent years this has moved into scientific and psychiatric investigation. Responsibility and Psychopathy discusses this subject from both the philosophical and scientific disciplines, as well as a legal perspective.

In 'Unconscious knowing and other essays in psycho-philosophical analysis', Linda Brakel tackles a range of fascinating and puzzling phenomena that lie at the border between psychoanalysis and philosophy of mind. These include - unconscious knowing, vagueness, agency, the placebo effect, and even explanation itself.

'Maladapting Minds' represents the very first attempts to critically explore the interface between evolutionary theory and the philosophy of psychiatry. With contributions from an international and interdisciplinary cast of authors, it is important reading for psychiatrists, philosophers of mind, and evolutionary psychologists.

Emotions and personhood are important notions within the field of mental health care. How they are related is less evident. This book provides a framework for understanding the important and complex relationship between our emotional wellbeing and our sense of self, drawing on psychopathology, philosophy, and phenomenology.

Within child and adolescent psychiatry, there are a number of potential dilemmas pertaining to diagnosis, treatment, the protection of the child, as well as the child's own developing intelligence and moral judgement. Diagnostic Dilemmas in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is the first in the IPPP series to explore this highly complex topic.

What, if anything, is religious or spiritual delusion? What does religious delusion reveal about the difference between good and bad spirituality? The Abraham Dilemma: A Divine Delusion is the first book written by a philosopher on the topic of religious delusion - on the disorder's causes, contents, consequences, diagnosis and treatment

Part of the "International Perspectives in Philosophy and Psychiatry" series, this book takes the readers into the world of those suffering from schizophrenia and manic-depressive illnesses. Using self descriptions, it emphasises on how mental health professionals view sufferers, and on how the patients themselves experience their disorder.

The public, mental health consumers, as well as mental health practitioners wonder about what kinds of values mental health professionals hold, and what kinds of values influence psychiatric diagnosis. This book is a most readable and scholarly examination of the role played by value judgements in mental illness, psychiatric diagnosis, and the DSM.

Part of the series "International Perspectives in Philosophy and Psychiatry", this work aims to build links between the sciences and humanities in psychiatry. It is of interest to those with practical experience of mental health issues, whether as providers or as users/consumers of services, as well as to philosophers and social scientists.

Despite the currency of the notion of mental illness, there are those who take the radical sceptical line that mental illness is a fabrication. This book provides an evaluation of the traditional philosophical disputes about the existence and nature of mental illness.