Faith in Freedom: Libertarian Principles and Psychiatric Practices Contributor(s): Szasz, Thomas (Author) |
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ISBN: 0765802449 ISBN-13: 9780765802446 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $178.20 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: May 2004 Annotation: Expanding on ideas first developed in the groundbreaking and controversial works The Myth of Mental Illness. Ceremonial Chemistry, and Liberation by Oppression. Faith in Freedom is a strikingly original book, written by one of the foremost champions of psychiatric freedom. |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Psychology | Psychotherapy - General - Medical | Psychiatry - General |
Dewey: 174.2 |
LCCN: 2003066308 |
Physical Information: 0.95" H x 6.36" W x 9.44" (1.18 lbs) 276 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: The libertarian philosophy of freedom is characterized by two fundamental beliefs: the right to be left alone and the duty to leave others alone. Psychiatric practice routinely violates both of these beliefs. It is based on the notion that self-ownership--exemplified by suicide--is a not an inherent right, but a privilege subject to the review of psychiatrists as representatives of society. In Faith in Freedom, Thomas Szasz raises fundamental questions about psychiatric practices that inhibit an individual's right to freedom. His questions are fundamental. Is suicide an exercise of rightful self-ownership or a manifestation of mental disorder? Does involuntary confinement under psychiatric auspices constitute unjust imprisonment, or is it therapeutically justified hospitalization? Should forced psychiatric drugging be interpreted as assault and battery on the person or is it medical treatment? The ethical standards of psychiatric practice mandate that psychiatrists employ coercion. Forgoing such "intervention" is considered a dereliction of the psychiatrists' "duty to protect." How should friends of freedom--especially libertarians--deal with the conflict between elementary libertarian principles and prevailing psychiatric practices? In Faith in Freedom, Thomas Szasz addresses this question more directly and more profoundly than in any of his previous works. |
Contributor Bio(s): Szasz, Thomas: - Thomas Szasz (1920-2012) was professor of psychiatry emeritus at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York and adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, Washington, DC. He was a prominent figure in the anti-psychiatry movement and a critic of the moral and scientific foundation of psychiatry.
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