Psychiatry?

Question:Philosophically, what do you think of psychiatry? Philosophy is a hobby of mine...I like to think in different ways, read philosophical books, watch movies like Waking Life. As of late, however, I've become interested in psychiatry. I want to know how anatomy is connected with the mind, the biological influences...Do you think philosophy is important in psychiatry, and do they overlap? What do you think of it in general?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Philosophically, what do you think of psychiatry? Philosophy is a hobby of mine...I like to think in different ways, read philosophical books, watch movies like Waking Life. As of late, however, I've become interested in psychiatry. I want to know how anatomy is connected with the mind, the biological influences...Do you think philosophy is important in psychiatry, and do they overlap? What do you think of it in general?

As a person interested in participating in both fields here are my thoughts:

I am currently training to become a psychiatrist (or neurologist) which is a decision that I have reasoned based on my philosophical interests. I also hope to pursue further studies in cognitive neuroscience focusing research on the mind-body problem. As you can imagine there is a lot of overlap between the two fields especially in philosophy of mind where a good percentage of important figures are not philosophers but scientists, including psychiatrists.

Keep in mind that the field of psychiatry is about treating patients with cognitive disorders not about solving philosophical problems. Psychiatry today is more concerned with perscribing drugs than about introspective analysis.

One thing that I have had to learn is that when I am a doctor my primary concerns will be about patients, not about my own problems. I have two interests that are seemingly related but I will have to keep separate in practice. What I hope though is that working with people that have a completely different conscious experience from my own will offer me clues to guide my scientific and philosophical research.

I think its great that medication can treat mental illness i think many but not all psychiastists are full of themselves but thats true of other professionals as well

very interesting question.Yes,there are many relations between philosophy and psychiatry,starting whit S.F.,C.G.J...mostly in philosophy of mind,ethic and aesthetic
look there:http://www.uky.edu/~cperring/PhiPsybib.h...

Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that deals with the brain and it's role in behavior. In other words, psychiatry is about our physical being. These days, psychiatry (as in most American medicine), is mostly about drugs. So yes, there is a role for psychiatry in the broader subject of philosophy, but psychology (the study of human behavior), is broader, and more relevant to philosophy.

To me, a key question is WILL or choice. In some psychological theories, rationality and choice are factors in behavior. Other systems place the emphasis on unwilled things like childhood experiences and parental relationships. Without choice and rational thought, or behavior is controlled by our physical being and other factors beyond our control. This essentially says "Your philosophy doesn't matter -- your childhood or brain chemistry does."

Mental illness has disproved the theory of free will. It shows we are not really in control of our minds when some people can sink into mental illness and be restored to mental health with psychiatric medication.

Harleigh Kyson Jr,