[MD] Psychology and Philosophy

[Matt Kundert]

Hi Mark,

Mark said:
Well maybe, but I think my concern was the posibility that we be 
considering MoQ as some kind of psychological apparition.  To place 
it in the anals of philosphy as some kind of "interesting" idea that 
came to a person on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  These 
"breakdowns" are certainly cast a negative light in our current 
society, and something to be avoided at all costs.  Ooooh, Pirsig had 
a breakdown, no wonder!  So, indeed this is not a panic of any sort, 
perhaps a mild anxiety of fruitlessness.

Matt:
I guess I find it odd that you thought that self-identified Pirsigians 
would treat Pirsig or his philosophy that way.

Mark said:
Well, yes our minds cannot be objectified.  But we can adopt the view 
that they can.  This as I see it is the purpose of psychology.  That is, 
to endeavor towards the perfect human who is tranquil and free of 
worry, all through antecedent control and drugs and genetic 
engineering.

Matt:
Yeah, I guess I don't see "psychology" the discipline as having a 
"purpose," like a mission statement that isn't constantly changing 
according to its practitioners and the demands upon its practitioners.  
Nor do I find your nomination for a mission statement especially 
plausible for all psychology (or...any psychology).

I think Carl took the best step in your new thread.  He brought 
psychology off the abstract mountain you've had it.  He also made the 
same distinction I had been thinking in terms of, research vs. therapy, 
a kind of theory/application distinction.  (Dave's remark about Carl's 
distinction was at cross-purposes, and so not really relevant to the 
train of thought Carl was taking.)  Carl talked about the underbelly of 
the institution of psychology at the concrete level.  But once you get 
to Carl's details, where diagnostics become paramount and how 
insurance companies treat their clients impacts the construction of 
the DSM-V, I also concurrently find it hard to formulate how the MoQ 
is for or against any particular in the discussion.  At an abstract level 
perhaps, but not in a way that makes me want to say that "The MoQ 
is for/against Modern Psychology" and think that's going to help me 
with the concrete details.

Matt